Accept No Substitutes
by Shikani
Summary: A terrible tragedy struck the Tantei a week after Yusuke's wedding. Now ten years on danger rears its ugly head and Kurama decides to pay his old employer a little visit. What is Koenma keeping from Kurama and what's happened to Hiei? ON HIATUS
1. Stirring

Okay, I told myself I wasn't going to post this until I'd finished it and read it through etc but I've just decided that if I don't get it up now I never will. This is not going to be a happy story. This is going to be a highly depressing angsty, torture-filled fic. Also not a romance centric fic. Possibly have some romance in the sequel if I get that far. This is my first YYH fic so if it's crap now you know why. Please review otherwise I will just feel like a moron (which I am but you don't have to rub it in). Readers should note that most of this was written by my Evil Alter Ego and she's very proud of it and she doesn't like being insulted. So, with those few words, enjoy! 

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho and I'm not making money cos I'm dumb and you're smart yada yada yada, now let's get on with this.

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Chapter 1 

The head ferry girl of Reikai stood in her appointed place beside her boss's chair, her once bright amethyst eyes trained on the four figures in front of her.

Hot anger boiled through her veins and it was all she could do to remain silent.

"And you have no idea where he went?"

The leader of the group, a tall man with long green hair, pale eyes and sporting a lot of silver jewellery, shook his head regretfully.

"I'm afraid not sir. It seems that he anticipated all of our stratagems beforehand. We stood no chance against him. The man was already dead when we got there."

His voice, though polite and apologetic, held no real concern. The infant ruler of the spirit world, in the guise of a young man with light brown hair, nodded wearily.

"Very well Stefan. I did not have high hopes of his capture. Amaor how is your arm?"

The figure standing respectfully just behind the green haired man grimaced, hitching the sling that held his arm a little further up his neck.

"Not good, sir. I'm afraid I may not be able to fight for at least another month."

"Don't worry Ama," clucked the woman beside him, her long violet hair framing cherubic features that smiled softly up at him, "We'll make sure no one hurts you. Lord Koenma," she turned to the ruler of Reikai, smiling brightly, "Do you think some sort of protection could be arranged for Amaor? It's not safe for him to be left undefended while he is injured."

"I'll see what can be arranged Miela," Koenma replied stiffly, "Stefan, your next destination is – "

"But Koenma-sama!" interrupted Miela, her wide blue eyes fixed in horror on his face, "Surely you cannot think of sending Stefan and Kimera out all on their own?"

She turned to smile reassuringly at Stefan and Kimera, a girl with short golden hair and scanty, fashionable clothing. The ferry girl spoke up coldly.

"He isn't suggesting sending them 'on their own'. _You_ will be going with them."

The woman blinked in surprise. "Me! No no no! I have to stay to look after Ama! He is ever so vulnerable all alone and injured! Who knows what nasty demons might attack him if the rest of us are away on a wild goose chase!

"Catching a murdering demon is not a wild goose chase!" snapped the ferry girl, glaring at the woman.

"Botan…"

She closed her eyes at the quiet word from her employer and reluctantly lapsed back into silence, though still staring in disgust at Miela. Koenma turned back to Stefan, fighting to keep his own temper in check.

"We think he is in Tokyo, I'll have Tadashi take you down. Miela I will take care of protection for Amaor. I trust you can find your own way out?"

She nodded, smiling brightly and bowing, the other three following her example. Turning, they left the room and the door swung shut behind them with a hollow 'thud'. Koenma continued to stare at the door for about a minute before an impassive voice broke the heavy silence.

"They. Were. Smiling."

Koenma got up and walked slowly around his desk before turning to face the rigid form of the ferry girl. Bright blue hair was pulled back, not falling messily around her face as it used to but tied tightly up into a severe knot held by two black pins, giving her features an oddly sharp look. Her eyes that used to sparkle as brightly as a newly cut reigem were now shadowed and empty. The warm pink kimono had gone to be replaced with a blank white garment that cast a pallid aura over her equally pale skin. Koenma heaved a great sigh and studied her jaded features as she began to speak once again, her expression never changing.

"They were smiling and giggling like they were on some kind of vacation. They are supposed to be Reikai Tantei Koenma."

Her voice was rising now, her features becoming darker and even more angry with every word she spoke, "Now one of them can't fight for a month because he cut his arm – " the scorn in her voice made him wince, " – and they have the nerve to ask for _protection. _They allowed Mantalus to escape, putting all of Ningenkai in danger and they want pampering even though they failed in their duty! If Yusuke had failed a mission which he _wouldn't _have then – "

"Botan!"

Koenma turned a sharp, warning gaze on the ferry girl. Amethyst met hazel in a furious combat of wills. The tension between them could have been cut with a knife, so palpable the force. Finally Botan took a deep shuddering breath and bowed her head slightly breaking off eye contact with her boss.

"Forgive me Koenma-sama," she said formally. Her voice was cold, so unlike the cheerful, bubbly tone he had been used to hearing for so many years. The young prince of Reikai sighed wearily, rubbing his forehead. His new detectives meant well but… he knew they really had not taken on board the seriousness of their job when they had agreed to work with him. Still, they were the best he had.

_Not the best you could have._

Koenma stubbornly ignored the nasty little voice in his head as he had done so many times before, returning to his desk. Botan brushed past him, turning just as she reached the door.

"Was there anything further Koenma-sama?"

He met her gaze for a moment, his expression soft and sorrowful.

"Botan… you have to understand, it was Yusuke's decision. If I could recall him I would but – "

"He would want to know!" Her voice held both anger and a sort of pleading urgency to it, her fists clenched.

"He would want to know if Ningenkai was in danger! We can't do this alone Koenma! We _need_ them back!"

"Botan!" Koenma snapped, standing up, "There is no THEM any more, do you understand me? They are gone now! We will survive without them, we did before they came and we will now that they are gone!"

The ferry girl's jaw set rigidly, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears as she stared at him.

"Stop it. Stop _pretending_ that _somehow_ we'll pull through. You're nothing but a blind, foolish toddler. You can sit here in your office and keep telling yourself that those pathetic excuses for fighters can protect us whilst Reikai crumbles into ruin around you!"

Without another word she wrenched the door open and left without a backward glance, slamming it behind her. Koenma slumped back into his seat and dropped his head into his hands.

Ever since Yusuke had… well… things had just not been the same in Reikai. Demon attacks steadily worsened as word spread through the three worlds that the near legendary Toushin lord, Reikai Tantei, Yusuke Urameshi… was dead.

Koenma shook himself out of his maudlin musings and turned his thoughts to the problem at hand. The demon that his detectives had allowed to escape – no! They had been unable to capture him, he reminded himself sternly, it was not their fault.

The nasty little voice was back.

It sniggered.

He pushed it firmly away and ran over the details of the escaped demon in his mind.

Mantalus was a high level B class demon that fed on human eyeballs. It was able to assume the form of a normal ningen to blend in and select a target. It was a meticulous hunter, having picked out its prey it would enter his or her house under cover of darkness and pluck its victims eyes out while they were asleep.

During feeding, Mantalus's arms would grow into long, insect-like limbs, similar to the claws of a preying mantis, which it used to cut away the victim's eyelids before scooping out the eye itself. It then drank its victim's brain fluids, tearing out the voicebox so they couldn't scream.

The creature's powers were not a great threat, but his ability to disguise himself and creep under cover of darkness was not to be taken lightly. But still, his detectives had managed to catch him out in the open. That had to account for something…

_Yeah, then all four of them let him vanish right under their noses. Admit it, they stumbled on him by chance and then bungled their attacks._

Koenma gritted his teeth and shifted a stack of papers on his desk, looking for the demon's file that might shed some light on where the demon might strike next. His movements were quick and jerky and he accidentally nudged an entire pile of assorted clutter and it tumbled to a heap on the floor.

Resisting the urge to revert to his toddler form and throw the most enormous tantrum in the history of the three worlds, the lord of Reikai dropped to his knees to gather the papers, silently praying that Jorge or another of the oni would not come barging in. It was NOT a good thing for the oni to see their master floundering amongst paperwork, a very undignified position for the son of a god.

Collecting the papers into an untidy jumble, his eye was caught by a glossy piece of paper sticking out of the heap. Curious, he pulled it out of the pile to reveal a photograph.

His breath hitched on his throat as he stared transfixed at the picture.

A group of people stood outside in a sunlit field under the emerald shade of a large oak tree. Memories swam to the surface of his mind as the figures in front of his eyes smiled up at him.

There was carrot-haired Kazuma Kuwabara looking strange in a suit, standing beside his elder sister Shizuru who looked equally strange in a beautiful yellow kimono. Their cat, Eikichi was twined around Kuwabara's legs, staring adoringly up at him. In front of them stood a small girl dressed in a teal kimono with soft aqua hair and large, cherry red eyes, smiling gently: Yukina the koorime.

Next to her was a blue haired girl dressed in a candy pink kimono, her berry bright eyes shining, two fingers held up in a peace sign, grinning happily. Botan… she was a complete stranger to him now. His gaze roved over the tall, slim, emerald-eyed figure of Minamino Shuichi or Youko Kurama, long rose red hair drifting in the breeze, a warm smile on his features, one arm around his mother, Shiori. Just behind them, half hidden from view was a slight, dark clad figure with spiky black hair, white bandanna around his head and sharp blood red eyes looking impassively at the camera: Hiei, half fire demon, half koorime.

Koenma felt a sickening feeling deep in his stomach and turned his eyes swiftly to the very forefront of the picture. Two people stood there, both looking more happy and contented than Koenma had ever seen them.

A beautiful young brunette was standing arm in arm with a tall dark haired young man: Urameshi Yusuke and Keiko. Koenma remembered that they had argued over whether to have a traditional Japanese wedding or a western style one. Eventually they had decided to have a mix, Keiko wearing a traditional white kimono with a western style veil, Yusuke dressed in a smart suit, his dark hair slicked back as per usual, his typical tough guy smirk on his face, dark eyes shining.

Koenma stared at the photograph, meditating in old memories that he had thought long forgotten. Botan had brought him this picture a couple of days after Yusuke and Keiko's wedding, chattering happily about the new couple and scolding him for not going. That had been only a week before the disaster…

He was jolted out of his train of memories by the sound of the door opening. Jorge poked his head around the door, blinking as he caught sight of the lord of Reikai crouched in a pile of fallen paperwork, a photograph in his hands and a guilty expression on his face.

"Koenma-sama?"

"One word about this to _anybody_ and I will personally see to it that you are cleaning out filing cabinets for all eternity do I make myself clear?"

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Good? Bad? Putting-foot-in-big-mouth bad? Let me know! R&R! I'll update soon as long as I get at least ONE review. 


	2. Warning

Yes, I'm back, sorry. I dunno if anyone apart from my one single KIND, CONSIDERATE, reviewer actually read this but I'm posting the next chapter anyway. I know it sounds like it's going to be boring but really it isn't. PLEASE I need some more reviews, I'm starting to get really depressed. To my one wonderful reviewer **Ani Mei**, please keep reading. You never know, you might be in for a pleasant surprise.

**EAE: **Have you finished yet?

Nope, still waiting for you to do the disclaimer.

**EAE: **Thanks a heap. If we owned it we wouldn't be writing fics about it know would we?

Chapter 2

A day had gone by and Koenma found his thoughts constantly brought back to the photograph. Sitting at his desk, he allowed his eyes to drift down to the drawerin his desk where he had placed the small picture.

_I will not take it out I will not take it out I will not take it out I will not take it out I will not take it out._

He reached down and pried the drawer open, pulling the photo out and running his eyes speculatively over the frozen figures.

Maybe… maybe if things had been different…

"Koenma-sama!"

Koenma's head snapped up and he shoved the photograph swiftly back into the drawer, slamming it shut. Unfortunately, he slammed it shut on his fingers meaning that the sharp swearword and the consequential waving his hand around in the air hardly helped to divert Botan's curiosity.

"Koenma, why are you waving your hand around and swearing and trying to hide things in your desk whenever someone comes into the room?"

Koenma really wished he hadn't made Botan head ferry girl sometimes.

"I don't know what you mean Botan," he said airily (or at least as airily as one can with their teeth clenched and trying desperately not to start hopping around on one foot), trying to salvage some tattered shreds of his dignity. His eyes were drawn to the large box in her arms and he raised an inquisitive eyebrow. Usually it was Jorge who delivered the mail.

"What's that Botan?"

She shrugged as best she could while trying to balance the rather bulky package in her hands. "Can I put it down now?" He nodded, taking the box from her as she held it out to him. It was rather heavy and, he noticed with some surprise, it was made out of metal. Most of the Reikai deliveries to him were in cardboard boxes with the red stamp URGENT on the lid. This one was bare.

"Are you going to sit there all day or are you going to open it?" Botan rolled her eyes in exasperation and he glared up at her. "I could do with a little less sarcasm and a little more respect from you Botan," he said darkly, pulling at the lid of the box.

"I pay you all the respect you deserve Koenma-sama."

The sharp retort he had been about to make died in his throat as he stared numbly at the contents of the box.

"Koenma-sama?" Botan frowned; the young lord of Reikai looked suddenly unwell. She craned her neck forward trying to see what was in the box. Koenma slammed the lid shut and pushed the box away, looking sickened.

"Don't… don't look Botan."

She was really worried now, he was white faced and seemed to be trembling.

"Koenma, what is it?"

He swallowed hard a few times, closing his eyes.

"Stefan."

Botan frowned again; the toddler was making no sense.

"What about him? Is he in trouble?"

"Not anymore." There was a note of a sort of despairing sarcasm in his voice.

"Koenma, what's in that box?"

Koenma pushed his chair back a little inhaling deeply.

"_Stefan_ is in that box Botan. Well…" he smiled mirthlessly, "most of him."

The ferry girl blanched and stared down at her hands, appalled. Koenma pressed his knuckles to his forehead.

"Botan, I need you to gather the rest of the group and bring them back here. Try their communication mirrors." The ferry girl shook her head slowly, the dismay on her face deepening.

"I… I already did… I tried to contact Kimera… I thought there had been an equipment malfunction or something. I tried Amaor and Miela but…" she bit her lip and buried her hands in the sleeves of her white kimono. Koenma threw himself back in his seat.

"They're dead aren't they?" Botan's quavering voice hit his eardrums like the knell of doom.

"Koenma-sama?"

Jorge – the ill-fated one as Botan had come to call him – poked his head cautiously around the door.

"I have a delivery for you – "

"Not now Jorge!" Koenma snapped irritably. The ogre quailed under his master's glare but impressively held out.

"But Koenma-sama," he quavered, "it says that it's in connection with the last delivery."

Botan snatched the flat package from the oni's trembling hands and pushed him unceremoniously from the room. The parcel she held was not metal but wrapped neatly in brown paper upon which was stencilled a series of delicate kanji that read,

To be delivered to the lord of Reikai urgently in connection with a previous delivery. 

She blanched and held the package out to Koenma, keeping it at arms length. He took it dubiously, staring at the message.

"No signature…"

Koenma drew in a deep breath and reached across his desk, picking up the letter opener and slitting the paper. Agonisingly slowly, he pulled the paper away. There, lying in the centre of the discarded packaging was a dull mirror framed in ebony. He picked it up cautiously, noting that the symbols etched into the frame were in the language of the Makai.

Suddenly, the mirror flickered. Koenma blinked and held it closer to his face, squinting at the plain grey surface of the glass. He could have sworn…

The silver suddenly flared with a blinding red light. Koenma gasped and threw it back to the desk, covering his eyes.

"Koenma!"

"It's okay Botan."

He blinked hard a few times, willing the starburst of light to fade away. He glowered at the object that was still lying on his desk, hellish orange light boiling beneath the glass. Cautiously he picked it up again, holding it at as far away from his face as possible. The lord of Reikai jerked back in surprise when a large pair of bright blue eyes snapped open, seemingly nestled within the flames.

"_You will not stop us now the Toushin is dead."_

Koenma stared transfixed at the eyes as mocking laughter filled the small office. All at once the flames burst through the glass and leapt up, consuming the ebony and silver alike. Koenma yelled and threw himself back from the blaze. The flames blazed brightly for about five seconds before inexplicably vanishing, leaving nothing but a dark scorch mark on the polished wooden surface.

It was these kinds of messages that really made him curse being immortal on a Thursday.

"Koenma…"

"No Botan."

Koenma folded his arms and leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes. The remains of the mirror had been swept away into the waste paper bin (he wasn't really sure if it was waste paper but it hadn't seemed important at the time as sweet wrappers, apple peel, orange skin, paper clips and fingernail clippings also seemed to count as waste paper) Botan's fists were clenched and her jaw was set in a way that might have been considered unladylike if Botan actually cared about that kind of thing. She didn't.

"Koenma look at what's happening! Your detectives are dead, there's some psycho freak demon going to try and destroy the three worlds AGAIN and you aren't doing a damn thing about it!"

He opened his calm hazel eyes, meeting her angry amethyst ones.

"We are not having this discussion again Botan. I will take care of the current situation."

She snorted incredulously. "More likely you'll just scrabble around your office trying to find a demon to fight for you that won't get its head lopped off and sent back to you in box!"

"Botan!" he glared at her, "I have told you before and I will not tell you again, Yuusuke is DEAD! If I could bring him back I would but I can't! Do you understand?"

Her expression turned beseeching, "Please, just tell me where – "

"This meeting is over Botan." He turned away from her and pulled a stack of files out of his desk and began to sort through them, ignoring her. She fumed silently for a moment before turning on her heel and storming out of the room. He winced as the door slammed shut.

Pushing the papers to one side and glancing warily up at the door, he pulled the photograph out of the drawer again. After a moment of deliberation, he opened the very bottom drawer of his desk and began ferreting through the junk. A cloud of dust and a few colourful curses later he emerged with a dusty photo frame in his hands. It was quite a nice one, a pure silver frame and made from the finest Reikai crystal. It had been a birthday present from Botan, despite his protests that it was not his birthday and that technically, as he was a god he didn't HAVE a birthday. Botan had told him that he was a very sad person and to stop whinging.

Koenma opened the back and slipped the photograph inside, being careful not to damage it. He stared at it for a moment longer and then set it, almost hesitantly on his desk, making sure it was hidden from view where only he could see it from behind a pile of papers.

He heaved a deep sigh and closed his eyes. If anyone else had been in the room, they might have seen the single line of liquid light that fell from the demigod's eye, might have heard the two whispered words that were choked from his throat.

But no one was there.

No one saw, and noone heard.

"I'm sorry…"

Botan soared through the darkening sky, the folds of her white kimono swishing around her; dusky pink eyes fixed furiously on the skyline. How _dare_ he! She had served him faithfully for longer than any of the other ferry girls, she had stood by him (except when he was being a complete and utter prat like now for instance) and he was treating her like some sort of incompetent child!

She urged her oar on to greater speeds, the bright scenery flashing past in a colourful blur. And to cap it all, he _knew_. He had the answers to all of their problems in the palm of his hand and yet he turned his head away, wanting to be the noble hero! She snorted again, her glare intensifying as her bright blue hair whipped around her face, coming loose from the tight bun.

Well, she thought furiously, if he wouldn't tell her, then by Kami, she would find someone who would!

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**REVIEW! PLEASE, I NEED TO KNOW PEOPLE ARE READING THIS! I KNOW IT LOOKS LIKE CRAP BUT PLEASE, IT WILL GET BETTER!**


	3. Mourning

**I'm back again. Not entirely sure why but anyway, I got two reviews last chapter! That's one more than I got for my first chapter...**

**EAE: You are pathetic.**

**Shut it you. To my two lovely reviewers who are all that is keeping me going here THANK YOU. Ani mei, of course you're not putting me off, you're stopping me from sinking into a deep and morbid depression. To msm007 thank you so much for reviewing and I'll keep writing so long as you keep reviewing. Please? If anyone is reading this and not reviewing then please just drop me a comment, just to let me know you are actually reading it. It really doesn't take much to make my day but please just take a little time to do me that one favour.**

**EAE: You're still pathetic.**

**You are SO doing the disclaimer.**

**EAE: Whatever. We no own. We not rich. You no sue.

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Chapter 3

It was growing dark in Ningenkai as a tall shadowy figure made its quiet way up the winding path. Many years had past since the Tragedy and still the memories were vivid in her mind. How could they not be?

She allowed her steps to slow, walking gently through a grove of oak trees, allowing the protection of their leaves to enfold her, a sad smile on her lips. Somehow she had always felt safe under their comforting shadow. Reluctantly leaving the trees behind her, she followed the earthy trail as it sloped upwards to a small area dominated by enormous, thorny rose bushes. Blooms of white, yellow, red, pink, peach and a myriad of colours in between studded the lush greenery, a beautiful, impregnable barrier of tranquillity.

Checking behind to see that no one was following, she reached out and swept a branch aside. There, hidden amongst the bright foliage was a small wicker gate. Miraculously, the blooms had not swamped the small entrance but it was as though they were protecting it from prying eyes. She smiled almost fondly and ducked under the branch, pushing the gate open and crawling through. It may have just been her imagination but she thought that one of the soft white flowers brushed her shoulder reassuringly as she passed.

Shutting the gate carefully behind her, she stood up, shaking petals from her long brown hair. It was as though she had stepped into some sacred oasis.

Roses enclosed the lush, verdant area, every blade of grass shimmering like a delicate strand of green velvet. A small pond grew in the dappled shade of silver birch tree, dainty pink water lilies drifting in its clear waters. Rare orchids waved in the playful breeze, nodding to the serrated petals of the oriental poppies. Forget-me-nots seemed as plentiful as daisies, trailing here and there among the sprigs of sweet smelling honeysuckle.

Many grand Budlia shrubs boasted copious cones of tiny lilac flowers, calling out to the bees and the butterflies that flocked to it, covering its strong branches with minuscule flittering wings, a kaleidoscope of symmetrical beauty. Soft humming from the lazy bumblebees and the musical gurgle of a tiny waterfall filled this haven of nature as she stood for a moment, basking in the pure serenity of the garden.

Removing her shoes and leaving them by the gate she relished the feel of the soft, warm turf on the bare soles of her feet, stepping carefully through the thick white petal carpet beneath the Ibiscus tree, smiling at the dozy creature perched in its branches.

"Hello Eikichi."

The old cat opened warm amber eyes and yawned widely, exposing tiny milk white teeth and a delicate pink tongue. She laughed softly, reaching up to scratch the furry ears, smiling fondly as the cat mewed and nudged her hand, purring, anxious for more attention.

"I'll play with you later, I promise."

Eikichi seemed to consider this for a moment before flopping back down on the branch and closing her eyes.

"Mrreow…"

She smiled and continued on deeper into the garden.

There it was: the tree that dominated the entire garden. A huge, knotted weeping willow, its long branches trailing right down to the ground in a curtain so thick that what lay beyond them was obscured by a canvas of pale, spear shaped leaves. She sighed inaudibly.

"Hello."

Startled, she spun around. Sitting by the pond was a small, aqua haired girl dressed in a turquoise kimono, warm brick red eyes crinkled in a gentle smile. She relaxed.

"Hello Yukina."

She wondered how she had not seen her at first, but then realised that the koorime had been sitting with her back against the trunk of the silver birch which effectively concealed her from anyone entering the garden. The young ice maiden got to her feet, brushing a stray birch leaf from her hair.

"Are you alright?"

The brunette nodded, glancing back at the willow, a deep sigh escaping her.

"Yeah… yeah I'm fine. I was just, going to… go see him."

Yukina nodded gently, understanding the other girl's silent request.

"I'll be with Eikichi."

The ice maiden touched her arm in a brief but comforting gesture before turning and treading silently away, her small feet making almost no imprint against the lush grass. Turning back to the willow, she took a deep breath and swept the thin curtain aside, ducking into the cool shade of the tree's embrace. The shaded grass was dappled with gold, dancing in time with the swaying leaves. Only one complete, never changing ray of sunlight permeated the thick foliage of the tree's canopy, falling like clear honey at the base of the tree.

There, cradled between two roots of the massive plant, was a single square slab of what appeared to be crystal set upright in the ground. She blinked hard several times before crossing to stand before it.

But it was not, as it seemed, crystal.

It was ice.

Bathed in sunlight, a myriad of tiny sparkles danced across its smooth surface as she knelt down, laying a single, pure white lily in front of it. Her throat seemed suddenly constricted as she reached forward, tracing a finger over the tiny, shimmering gems embedded into the ice.

"Hey Baby bro."

Her voice was choked with emotion as she stared at the name, memories rushing back to fill her like a ghost of the past. A single glittering tear fell from her light brown eye, running down her cheek to land upon one of the white lily petals.

"Miss you."

She smiled shakily, perusing the beautiful gems that spelled out her brother's name. They were precious Hiruseki stones, a gift from Yukina. They were all the tears she had shed in grief for his death and she had fashioned the frosted tablet herself, filling it with her youki so that it would never melt but last through the ages, her last gift to him.

Her eyes widened as the flower suddenly twitched.

Slowly, very slowly, the end of the stem disappeared into the ground and fresh new leaves burst up around it, two new blooms opening on either side. She beamed through her tears as she watched the elegant plant take root and flourish.

"When you said this would be the most wonderful garden in Ningenkai you weren't kidding were you?" she murmured to a faint memory as it played through her head, "Never do things by halves…"

She was jolted out of her thoughts by a misplaced ray of light that lingered for too long on the ground to be a branch blowing in the wind. It couldn't be Yukina, she never disturbed her while she was here without calling to her first, that was a part of the respect that the considerate koorime had for her.

She tensed her muscles, straining her hearing. Sure enough, the soft rustle of feet upon the ground reached her ears. She waited, still as a statue, until she judged the intruder to be standing just behind her. That was when she moved. Jumping up, she whirled swiftly to confront the newcomer, fist raised defensively. What she saw shocked her more than any monster, demon or plant could possibly have done.

"Hey Shizuru."

"B… Botan?"

The ferry girl had changed so much since Shizuru had last seen her. She seemed older, less… less material almost, than before, a shadow of the vibrant, bubbly girl that she used to know. Her eyes had dulled and the white kimono she wore gave her a ghostly appearance. The ferry girl took a step closer, her eyes travelling past Botan to the shining marker.

"Kazuma…"

His name seemed to jerk Shizuru out of her daze and the girl shook her head, eyes hardening.

"Why are you here?"

The question was harsh and demanding. Botan flinched inwardly, understanding the other girl's pain and knowing that her request would strike a sour note with the elder and now the only remaining Kuwabara.

"Shizuru… I need your help."

The brunette stared at her incredulously for a moment.

"You want my help. _You_ want _my _help!"

The ferry girl looked sadly at the ground, waiting for the outburst. It was not long in coming.

"You… you _dare!_" Shizuru was practically spitting with rage, "Is this from that… that…_childish bastard_!"

Botan shook her head, raising her gaze to Shizuru's, the ferry girl's eyes tired and desperate, the human's burning in fury.

"_I_ need your help Shizuru, not him."

The girl's eyes narrowed to slits but her expression softened the tiniest of fractions, pacified by the ferry girl's submissive approach.

"You have one minute. Talk fast."

Botan nodded, "I need you to tell me where – "

"Oh not a chance!" The girl's expression hardened again. "I made a promise ferry girl. I don't know if that means anything to you people but it means something to me!"

Botan felt anger rising in her own mind at Shizuru's words but forced the feelings back down. Now was not a good time to lose her temper. "I know Shizuru but there is much more at stake this time."

"MORE AT STAKE!" Shizuru snarled, trembling with rage, "MORE AT STAKE THAN KAZUMA'S LIFE!" Her voice reverberated through the air, shattering the tranquillity of the place as ten years of pent up anger was unleashed in one vicious wave that made Botan quail.

"IS THAT WHY YOU DIDN'T WARN US! BECAUSE MY BABY BRO'S _LIFE_ WASN'T _IMPORTANT_ ENOUGH FOR YOU PEOPLE TO GET OFF YOUR ASSES AND REPAY EVERYTHING HE DID FOR YOU! HE DIED BECAUSE HE WASN'T _IMPORTANT_ ENOUGH TO SAVE!"

The girl's tone was filled with anger and grief so powerful that it made Botan flinch with its intensity. She felt her own sorrow rising once again as she stared into the girl's burning, stricken eyes.

"S-Shizuru?"

Both girls turned sharply at the quavering voice. Yukina stood just inside the thick curtain of willow leaves, wide, tear filled eyes fixed on the pair.

"D-don't yell at B-Botan. It w-wasn't her fault."

Gradually, the anger seemed to fade from Shizuru's eyes and she let her head fall, looking back at her brother's final resting place. When she looked back at Botan, it seemed to the ferry girl that she had aged ten years. Her shoulders were slumped and her hazel eyes dim.

"I know Yukina, I know. It's okay."

The young koorime stepped forward, a timid smile on her gentle features, wide red eyes shining with that calm serenity she always seemed to possess.

"It's nice to see you again Botan."

The ferry girl returned the expression weakly. The smallest of frowns creased the skin on Yukina's forehead.

You look… different." Rose red eyes flickered over the white kimono, the pale skin, ancient eyes.

"Everyone's changed haven't they?"

She sighed softly, her gaze drifting to the ice sculpture. "Maybe it would be better if we talked out in the sunlight. This is not a good place to heal wounds." Taken aback, as usual, by the koorime's wise words, Shizuru glanced back at Kuwabara's grave before turning and making her way through the leafy screen into the brightly lit garden, the two other girls following behind her.

Botan's eyes widened as she took in the glorious sight. She had seen the garden from the sky but had had no time to truly perceive the full beauty of this small haven.

"How… when… did you…?" She gaped in awe at the myriads of colourful insects and flowers, and Yukina thought she saw a stray twinkle returning to the ferry girl's amethyst eyes. Shizuru smiled proudly around at the verdant enclosure.

"It's beautiful isn't it?"

Botan could only nod mutely. Shizuru had an almost wistful look in her eye as she gazed up at the high rose thickets that defended the glorious location from the hazards of the outside world.

"Kurama did it for us. He said it would be a garden fit for any king or queen in any land in any world. But it would never be fit for my li'll bro'." She shook her head, chuckling quietly, "Always had a way with words that damn red head. Made me want to strangle him and hug him all at the same time."

Botan smiled fondly and the two girls lapsed into silence, lost in memories that could have belonged to a previous life. Eventually a small cough broke through the haze of nostalgia and Botan's eyes turned back upon the petite ice maiden.

"I don't mean to be rude Botan but, why are you here?"

Botan's eyes darted to Shizuru who had gone very still.

"I came to ask Shizuru for a favour."

Yukina blinked huge, confused red eyes. "A favour? What kind of favour?"

Botan's eyes never left Shizuru's. The elder Kuwabara's face was unreadable and looked pale even in the warm orange glow of the setting sun that filtered through the tree branches.

"I'm looking for an old friend."

The koorime's eyes widened in sudden comprehension and her gaze flew to the brunette who was staring at the clear water of the pool as though in a trance. A gentle breeze ruffled the crystalline surface of the water, sending tiny ripples scurrying across the surface. Finally, she inhaled and exhaled deeply before meeting the ferry girl's eyes.

"Why do you need to know? What's so urgent that you came round Koenma to find me? You must have come round him," she interrupted Botan as she opened her mouth, "because he knows where they are too. If you had his permission he would have just told you."

Botan's blushed faintly but her features were set, "I think the demon, the one we're facing…" she swallowed hard, "I think it's the same one that…that killed…" She trailed off, waiting for Shizuru's reaction, violent or otherwise. What she hadn't been expecting was –

"How come you're wearing white?" Shizuru asked abruptly, eyeing the ferry girl's clothing. Botan opened her mouth and then paused. She wasn't really sure how to explain, she wasn't even sure if _she_ really understood.

"Well… I guess, ever since Yusuke… I just couldn't stand the thought of forgetting. And, I thought…" she felt increasingly awkward with the two girls watching her, "maybe… if I wore something different, I would always remember those days when I knew all of you guys and we were…" she scuffed the toe of her shoe along the ground. "When… we were family I guess. Those were the family days. The pink days."

She blushed deeper and hunched her shoulders defensively. "So, are you going to tell me or do I have to find them on my own?" Shizuru narrowed her eyes. "If I tell you… you have to promise me something."

Botan nodded eagerly, her heart leaping in her chest.

"Anything!"

The brunette stared up at the gold streaked sky, a shadow lying across her eyes.

"I've been thinkin' a lot of things since Kazuma died," she sounded as though she had something stuck in her throat, "What I would do to the bastard responsible if I had the chance. Hell, I don't even know who is responsible anymore." Her jaw set and her head dropped to look Botan squarely in the eye.

"And. I. Don't. Care." She practically growled the words, eyes steely. "I'm _sick_ of our friends suffering because my li'l bro' got murdered by some dead demon asshole. I refuse to sit here and mope my life away while that bastard sits in hell and laughs at us. So I'm gonna put this straight."

She pointed one finger resolutely at the ferry girl, eyes glinting.

"I'll tell you… but you have to start wearing pink, smiling that bloody annoying smile of yours and being an airhead like you used to be. Get it?"

Yukina blinked at her friend and Botan did a wonderful impression of a goldfish for a few seconds before saying the first thing that popped into her head.

"I was not an airhead!"

Shizuru grinned.

"That's the spirit."

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**Next chapter, enter one... no, two redheads and a ghastly mystery to be solved. R&R! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! PLEASE!**


	4. Finding

**Okay I have had possibly THE wost dayof my life. I was ill, I had to go to school anyway, we got our reports ('nuff said) and I can't sleep. So I thought I would share my dejectedness with everybody and hopefully get some reviews in the process. I got three reviewers this time... you know, I'm starting to notice a trend here. First I get one, then two, and now three. Hm...And nowto thank my reviewers:**

**Peeka-chan: **Short but sweet! Thank you!

**MikaSamu: **Thank you very much! I was worried about whether they would seem OOC with the reunion thing. I'm glad you liked the garden, I had fun describing it. i think it is my dream garden. (Without the grave). I hope you're finding it interesting. R&R.

**AniMei: **Yes! I was trying to conceal the girl's true identity and I was worried I'd let something slip. Have to keep some mystery going ne? I don't know how Keiko/Kayko is supposed to be spelt but that seems to be the most common form. Once again, thank you for reviewing! (bows).

**And now onto the main event!For all you Kurama fans out there -**

**EAE: **Read it before she kills him off too (rolls eyes)

**Hey, do YOU wanna write it? Oh yeah, we own only the plotline and an occasional OC. Nothing more!**

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The Makai was an immense, dark world of death, violence and greed. Shadow clung to the darkened landscape, smothering fog crawling like viscous ooze, covering hills and forests in a stifling cloud of foul smelling vapour. In this world, the greatest challenge was survival, where even the most innocent of flowers could suddenly spring up and bite your head off. In certain cases, that particular flower metaphor should be taken as _deadly_ serious.

One would think that no happiness could possibly exist in this barren wasteland of trampled mosses and squalid pools where no star twinkled and only a washy dim light illuminated the cold darkness. Yet there is the most extraordinary thing about happiness. It can be found in even the most unlikely of places. Such as hanging upside down by its ankles from tree branches.

"OI TOUYA! How long do yeh reckon ah can do this before ah lose consciousness?"

It's amazing how happiness and insanity seem to go hand in hand, mused the demon as he watched the red headed shinobi dangle cheerfully from the thick, ivy encrusted branch, legs hooked firmly over the heavy wood.

"I would get down from there if I were you Jin."

"Oh, and why's tha' fox boy?"

A pale hand rose to brush a scarlet strand out of bright emerald eyes that were dancing with suppressed laughter.

"Well, I don't know about you but I enjoy having my head attached to my shoulders. It gives one a certain sense of security, ne?"

"And why would mah head be leavin' mah shoulders pray tell?"

A mild smile lifted the corners of the kitsune's lips.

"Because I have been harbouring a strange suspicion for the last… oh, few hours or so, that Touya finds the idea entertaining."

The wind shinobi's eyes flitted to a pale haired figure that possessed a pair of pale, pupiless eyes. Those eyes could look very creepy sometimes, especially when they were narrowed _very _slightly and fixed on your neck as though there was something he didn't like about it being the way it was: in Jin's case, intact.

"Ah think yeh have a point there mah friend."

Jin dropped easily from the branch; flipping around and falling into a hovering position barely an inch from the ice master's nose, grinning impudently. There was something quite unique about the way that Jin grinned at someone. It made you either want to grin back at him, or hit him repeatedly over the head with a large blunt object until he stopped moving.

Or both.

Touya was far too used to his friend's eccentric behaviour to be surprised or really angry. However, Irish red heads dropping out of the sky to laugh at you, call you a 'slow poke' (whatever that was) and continually send mini tornadoes your way merely because he was bored, can begin to grate on even the toughest of nerves. Touya took a deep, silent, calming breath and closed his eyes, willing his excitable shinobi partner to vanish into thin air. He opened his eyes.

"Shimatta…"

Kurama chuckled softly at the resigned comment, brushing in between the two, his eyes twinkling in amusement.

"I think you've been flying around a little too long Jin. The air seems to have filled up your head and crushed your brains out of existence." Jin smirked and did a back flip away from Touya to land neatly back on the tree branch, folding his arms.

"People with brains are borin'. They do stuff like trying teh figure oot the universe and why we all exist an' all kinds o' useless rubbish. Ah'll stick wi' flying thanks K'rama."

Kurama just smirked.

"Oh don' you dare – "

Jin launched himself from the branch but was not quick enough to escape the mass of ivy that pulled away from the dark trunk, scattering insects everywhere. The vines lashed themselves around the wind master, entangling him in a writhing mesh of tough green stems and broad, light tipped leaves. Touya grinned up at the struggling mass of foliage, wind shinobi and dead bark.

"Still enjoying your flying my friend?"

"Jus' yeh wait," the red head's dark voice was muffled somewhat, "When ah get oot of here ah swear I'll have tha' bloody fox's tail fer a hat..."

The shinobi might have made further menacing promises but was cut short by the moss-covered ground coming up to meet him. This is just a poetic way of saying that he was dropped flat on his face in the mud. Tearing his way out of the vines he spat out a leaf and turned to glare at Kurama.

"Yeh just signed yer death warrant fox. Mark mah words…"

The shinobi's voice trailed off into silence when he noticed that neither Kurama nor Touya was looking at him. They were staring at the trunk of the tree where the vines had been before Kurama's youki tore them away. There, pinioned to the living wood was a half rotted corpse.

The stench of putrid flesh washed over the trio and Kurama was forced to turn his head away as the vile smell assailed his sensitive nose. All traces of amusement and playfulness had gone from Jin's face as he looked bleakly at the pitiful remains. Touya's eyes had narrowed into slits and the ice master's fists were clenched.

"Is it… is it him?" Jin's soft voice seemed like a bellow in the heavy silence.

Kurama, who seemed to have recovered slightly from the terrible reek, looked back at the body. It was held there by what looked like a single length of rusted iron, like a nail, driven straight through the figure's exposed ribcage. The face was practically unrecognisable as either a human or a demon, half of the flesh hanging off to expose yellow bone, the eyes half ripped out of their sockets. One thing that the hanyou was able to tell from this fact alone was that this was not the object of their search. The eyes were blue.

"No." He sighed softly, answering Jin's hesitant question. "It's not him."

Touya gave a small sigh of relief and Jin closed his eyes, dragging a hand across his face. Kurama's practiced eyes flickered over the scene, taking in every detail. He should have spotted something out of the ordinary before really. Ivy was quite rare in the Makai (even though it was a native) in the sense that it was harmless to demons.

Why so much of it happened to be here merely underlined the theory that this was the work of a plant wielding youkai. And not an amateur one at that. Being a plant master himself, he could appreciate the way the leaves had been cunningly grown to appear ragged and old, as though they had always been there, the way they had clung so convincingly to the tough bark. Not as good as what he would have done, but still, not bad.

There was another puzzle. With the over powering smell of rotting flesh making his nose sting now, there was no way he could not have smelt it before.

Unless…

The two shinobi watched him stoop and pick up a handful of the vines that had encased the corpse to the tree. Upon closer inspection, he found clusters of tiny green blossoms, well camouflaged amongst the simple ivy leaves.

"Kasumihana" he muttered, sharp eyes sweeping the area around the tree, finding many of the small flowers cunningly concealed around the tree trunk. Touya walked gingerly to stand beside him, looking curiously at the cluster of flowers in the kitsune's grasp.

"What does it do?"

"Masks strong smells," replied Kurama shortly, the gears in his sharp mind turning swiftly. "Evidently someone intended that this body should never be found."

"But…" Jin's blue eyes were troubled, "no one in the Makai ever does tha' unless they 'ave a reason teh hide their kill. Most would jus' leave 'em oot in the open teh rot, warns their enemies off don't it? Who would go teh all this trouble?"

"And why?" said Kurama softly.

Touya was frowning, apparently deep in thought. Lines furrowed the ice master's smooth brow and Jin could tell that his partner was seriously bothered about something.

"This just doesn't make any sense."

"Wha' doesn't?" Inquired Jin gloomily, his blue eyes uncharacteristically dull. The wind shinobi hated things like this: cruel, senseless killing. He loved a good brawl and he had no qualms about killing in self-defence, after all, he was a demon. But seeing something like this… it was just despicable.

"Everything!"

Touya began to pace back and forth, frustration clear in every line of his body.

"Why is it all happening _now_? Unexplained killings, Hiei's disappearance… why wouldn't Hiei return to Mukuro's territory? Why wouldn't he tell someone where he was going? He trusted us before didn't he? He trusted Kurama."

"And Inari willing he still does," muttered Kurama, half to himself. They were already slipping into the past tense when talking of the fierce fire youkai. As though he was dead. Kurama's jaw set. He refused to believe that until he found proof, even if it took him a lifetime. He had to admit though, that he didn't understand it any more than Touya.

Hiei was well known throughout the land of the demons and he knew from experience that there were eyes everywhere in the Makai. If the Jaganshi had been killed then they would have heard something by now. It was as if his friend had simply dropped off the face of the earth. Hiei had been known to vanish for long periods of time when he was troubled, and Kurama knew that the tragedy with Yuusuke and Kuwabara had affected him deeply although he would never admit it.

But still, not even Hiei had literally disappeared for an entire decade before. Kurama had begun the search for the younger youkai about five years after his disappearance. At the time, he did not even realise that Hiei was missing. Only when he entered Mukuro's territory and asked to see the fire demon was he told that Hiei had not been back there for five years. After that he had searched alone for a year before running into Touya and Jin. Well, he thought wryly, 'running into' was putting it rather mildly. They had all agreed to help each other out, rather unusual in itself. In the Makai it was mostly survival of the strongest.

Well… the strongest or the ones who were smart enough to know that when you have a sword and the other guy doesn't yet the other guy is grinning at you, it's probably safe to say that either the other guy is suicidal or you are about to get creamed. Life had improved since then and yet Kurama could not dispel the strange feeling that they were looking in the in all the wrong places. With difficulty he wrenched his thoughts away from his former partner in crime and pulled himself together.

Jin had seen the fox's brief faraway expression and knew instantly what Kurama was thinking about. He knew that despite the fact that Hiei had been antisocial, sarcastic, cold and outwardly unfeeling, Jin knew that Kurama and Hiei had shared some special bond. Hiei and Kurama had trusted each other and that alone showed that the two were a force to be reckoned with. Neither of the demons gave their trust easily, Hiei especially. But then, if your mother had chucked you off a cliff within an hour of your birth then it was probably understandable that the fire youkai had issues.

Touya had stopped pacing and was leaning against another of the dark tree trunks, eyes closed and slim, pale fingers pressed to his temples. Kurama was staring at the corpse with the unreadable expression that showed the kitsune was deep in thought. There were in fact, several variations of this expression that the demon's two shinobi companions had picked up remarkably quickly.

For example, if Kurama was staring absently up at the sky then he was thinking either about what they were going to do next or whether the demon attempting to sneak up on them was really worth the effort. If he was watching his feet as he walked along he was generally lost in old memories of Ningenkai and his friends. If he was staring fixedly at something in the far distance with his eyes very slightly unfocused then he was going over all the places that they had been and where they could possibly go next and how long he had before he had to prevent Touya from actually strangling his shinobi partner. If he had had his gaze fixed on an inanimate object with his eyes narrowed for over a minute, as was the case now, then it was generally not a good idea to talk to him within a radius of five metres without a lot of weed killer, spirit armour, possibly a flamethrower and a pair of industrial goggles.

Eventually Kurama sighed almost inaudibly, tearing his eyes away from the grotesque image to look up into the darkened tree canopy. Seeing this as a sign that he was allowed to move now, Jin jumped lightly into the air, toes barely brushing the ground as he skimmed over to the kitsune demon.

"Wha's happenin' then K'rama?"

Kurama slowly turned to look at Jin, a troubled look in his emerald eyes. Touya had moved forward and was scrutinising something at the base of the tree. Kurama brushed a hand across his tired eyelids.

"Whoever that person was, she was human."

"Human? She?" Jin looked curiously at his friend's face. Kurama smiled thinly.

"Yes, she. The scent, however obscure it is, is distinctly feminine and the blood is not that of a demon." Touya looked over at the fox demon, eyes narrowed.

"What else?"

Kurama looked back at the body, "I think… I can smell Reikai on her."

Touya nodded, straightening up holding something out to the other two.

"Would this explain it?"

Kurama' eyes widened very slightly. The device lying shattered in Touya's palm was all too familiar.

"One of Koenma's communication mirrors," he murmured, looking back at the body. "This must have been one of the junior Reikai Tantei that Koenma hired after…" He took the small object from Touya. The screen was smashed as though it had been dropped and dried blood was flecked across it.

"Well tha's jus' bloody brilliant," Jin flipped himself irritably into the air, settling himself into a crosslegged position in midair. "_Another_ little mystery teh add teh the heap we've got already."

Kurama looked up at him. "Actually, I think this finally gives us a starting point." Jin raised an eyebrow, flipping upside down, "Oh? An' wha' would tha' be?" Kurama's features were set as though in stone. "I think that Koenma may be able to give us some answers." Jin's eyebrows nearly disappeared into his hair and Touya shot Kurama a doubtful look.

"Are you sure… I mean, do you think you're ready to see him without… well…" he trailed of delicately, not wanting to incur the fox's wrath. Kurama turned his head very slowly to the ice demon and Touya saw clearly the shimmering golden flecks swimming in the kitsune's deep, emerald eyes. Kurama smiled humourlessly at the shinobi.

"You mean, will I be able to see him without having one of my death plants chew him up and spit him out?" he inquired mildly. Touya nodded slightly, continuing to watch him warily. The fox demon's smile widened, "I'm not really sure my friend. I suppose… we'll just have to play it by ear."

Touya suddenly found himself feeling intensely grateful that he was not Koenma. He almost felt sorry for the Reikai Lord.

Almost.

"K'rama…"

The kitsune looked back around at the sound of Jin's voice. The wind shinobi was frowning at the head of the corpse.

"What's tha'?"

The other two demons followed the blue eyed shinobi's gaze. The skin that had peeled away from the dead woman's forehead seemed oddly regular. Kurama frowned, the gold fading slightly as he stepped forward. He lifted the skin and pressed it back against the yellow bone.

Then he went very still.

Jin and Touya watched threads of silver creep down the kitsune's long red mane.

"K'rama?"

Very little could chill the blood of these two demons. Kurama's voice froze the blood in their veins.

"It's _him_."

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**R&R! PLEASE! I need a reason to continue. FLAME me for all I care, just do SOMETHING!**


	5. Reunions 1

**Okay I meant to put this up before Easter but locked my account and I was due to go on holiday just before they unlocked it so I couldn't. Which is still annoying me.**

**kilikxiaolian: **Don't DO that. You seriously scared me for a moment there, I was gonna break down and cry. Well… something like that. As for what happened to Hiei I will say only this: don't worry he is one of my favourite characters and he will play a big part in this. Once I find him… (EAE: --;)

**IwuvMyKenshyPoo: **Wow! I've never met someone who liked one of my stories so much! I feel happy now ) Have a cookie. (EvilAlterEgo: smacks Shikani over the head) And as for Hiei… meep (cowers away from scary you) please don't hurt me! All shall be revealed in time! Some of it is even revealed this chapter… come to think of it you probably should worry about Hiei…

**Ani Mei: **Yay my loyal reviewer! I will try not to be too evil and leave you with nasty cliffhangers that make you want to kill me (reads through chapter) erm… yeah...

**Apparition7: **Oh wow… I think I'm going to cry… you really mean that? That's so sweet! ) Sorry, I'm going all teary and stupid but that was really nice. I'm trying not to make it too depressing and yet it does have to be a little to get the whole point of the story across. Glad I've got you hooked and please keep reviewing.

**Oh that's really cheered me up, thank you all so much! ) I feel inspired! A belated Happy Easter to everyone out there and I have (for once) a positive outlook for the future. The number of reviewers is increasing by chapter and you guys really help me along. Here's chapter five! And a nice surprise for you all. I hope. Oh and if anyone spots any spelling or grammatical mistakes at all could they please let me know? I don't want to miss out something crucial because of a dumb spelling mistake. Thank you!**

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"Koenma-sama!"

Koenma looked up as Jorge burst into the office. The ogre looked absolutely terrified. Koenma frowned disapprovingly at the sweaty faced blue figure as he struggled to wheeze out his message.

"M'lord… Koenma… visitor… don't…"

Koenma rolled his eyes impatiently.

"Spit it out for heaven's sake, I'm busy!"

The ogre straightened up, eyes wide with urgency.

"Koenma-sama. You have a… a visitor."

Koenma frowned, not understanding the ogre's fear.

"Who is it?"

"The two shinobi, ice master Touya and wind master Jin…"

Koenma raised a curious eyebrow. He had not seen the two shinobi since the dark tournament and wondered what they could possibly want to talk to him about. Not to mention that he had assumed that both were either dead or leading prosperous lives in the Makai with far better things to do than come to visit the lord of the underworld.

"And?"

The ogre swallowed hard. He should have taken the Reikai lord up on the filing cabinet suggestion.

"M'lord… it's… it's…

Koenma raised his eyes to the ceiling as though seeking patience from thetiled surface. He had had Kami knows how many forms to stamp and sign, he had bitten his tongue hard when his pacifier had slipped to one side of his mouth, he was tired out of his wits and now this stupid ogre was dithering before him and wasting his precious time.

"For Kami's sake will you just – "

"It's Yoko Kurama!"

Koenma's brain seemed to freeze and a bolt of cold fear shot through him. He could feel the blood leave his face as the message washed over him, dispelling all other thoughts. Kurama… here. _Here_. Why? He couldn't… he hadn't…

"My lord?"

Jorge was watching his boss anxiously, waiting for a response from the suddenly ill-looking teenager-shaped demigod. Koenma drew in a shaky breath and fought to compose himself. If it really was Kurama then he would need every ounce of his guile and subtlety to survive this encounter. And that was only if Kurama was not feeling persistant and decided to humour his former employer. A chilly feeling in his bones told Koenma that that was not likely to be the case, remembering his last encounter with the kitsune in which Kurama had… conveyed to him that he was leaving and any attempts to contact him would be… forcibly suppressed. Koenma opened his eyes, allowing a blank expression to slide smoothly over his features.

"Show them in."

The ogre bowed somewhat hesitantly and left looking as though he was being sent to the gallows.

Koenma's eyes roved almost instinctively to the photograph standing on his desk, like some sort of miniature shrine. He reached out and took it in his hand, gaze hovering over the frozen figures.

_I had no choice…_

In that moment, he wondered who he was trying to convince: the figures in the photo or himself. His thoughts were immediately shattered by the soft sound of the door opening. He lowered his hand, allowing the photograph to drop out of sight,

"It's been a while Koenma… _sama_."

The soft feral voice almost seemed to prowl through the air, sending a chill tingling down his spine, the sarcasm on the honorific making his stomach twist unpleasantly. He composed his features, slipping the photograph quickly into the drawer of his desk. Steeling himself, he lifted his head to meet the infamous green eyes of his former representative.

"Kurama. Nice to see you again."

The fox demon looked exactly the same as the last time he had seen him. It was also reminiscent to the last time he had seen the kitsune as he was trying desperately not to back away. He had to stop himself from flinching as Kurama stepped forward and placed something on the desk in front of him with a faint _click_.

"I trust you recognise this?"

Koenma stared numbly at the blood-spattered remains of Miela's communication mirror. _Oh Gods… why? Why did it have to be Kurama? Why now?_

"Where… where did you get this?"

It was not Kurama but a sarcastic Irish voice that answered breezily, "Well we were all takin' a little walk an' we foun' it beside a mangled corpse in the woods o' the Makai an' decided tha' you migh' be interested."

Koenma looked past Kurama to see the two shinobi standing behind him. Jin was firmly behind Kurama's shoulder, muscular arms folded and a forbidding glitter in his cold blue eyes. Touya was leaning against the wall beside the door, the ice master's pupiless eyes fixed unblinkingly on his face. Koenma felt a cold thrill course through him as a vivid memory stirred beneath the surface of his mind.

_Spit it out toddler, I don't have all day_

He thrust the memories back into the deep recesses of his mind, forcing himself to focus on the matter at hand. Just one slip was all it took and he was dead meat. Quite literally. That fact that he was immortal was doing absolutely nothing to raise his hopes of living for much longer if Kurama found out.

"You don't seem too surprised Koenma-sama."

The hostility lurking in the demon's even tone was almost tangible, dripping like poisoned honey into the demigod's mind. Koenma cleared his throat, fighting to keep his expression neutral.

"I already knew of Miela's death."

Kurama's mild expression was really starting to unnerve him.

"Yet not the circumstances."

Koenma's hazel eyes betrayed him in a faint flash of fear and Kurama's sharp eyes missed nothing.

"I see…"

Kurama's warm smile terrified him more than any threat he could have thought up.

"So you were unaware that when your detectives were killed they had their foreheads cut open?"

Koenma tried not to look too confused and failed miserably. His mind was screaming at him that something was not right about this, andwhatever it was,was going to screw his day upeven more, which was saying somethingconsidering currentcircumstances.

"Maybe," said the kitsune calmly, "I should be a little more specific. A piece of skin was cut from their foreheads in the shape of a seven-pointed star. Ring any bells?"

Glacial understanding filled Koenma and he stood up slowly. Kurama's smile held all the warmth of a midwinter morning.

"You told us he was dead."

Every word was slow, even and emotionless. Koenma almost trembled under the piercing emerald gaze and he searched desperately for a way out.

"It must be a different demon then. Perhaps – "

"_Don't lie to me_."

The kitsune's calm tone had suddenly turned to a deadly hiss, emerald flashed to gold and Kurama seemed to grow taller. Red hair lashed around silver, crackling with vicious youki.

"You _knew._"

The demon's voice was like something out of the demigod's all-too-familiar nightmares. He cringed at the pure venom dripping from the kitsune's tone as the normally collected demon practically spat the words at him.

"Not only did you _know_ but you did _nothing_. You _allowed_ Kuwabara and Yusuke's suffering to be in vain."

Now Koenma did flinch as each quiet accusation streaked through him like red-hot irons, malignant missiles that tore open old wounds, guilt he had thought long forgotten threatened to erupt once again. He pushed his feelings brutally away and forced himself to maintain a level expression, not allowing a single glimmer of what he was thinking show on his face.

"I had no choice. There were factors involved that you couldn't begin to understand – "

Touya almost winced as the demigod snapped his mouth shut abruptly. Koenma had just committed verbal suicide. If there is one thing you do_ not_ do when faced with an angry fox demon, it is insult his intelligence. That went triple for a pissed off Yoko Kurama. The ice master was mildly impressed that the fox demon did not just rip the demigod's head off. He suspected that, had Shuichi allowed it, then Yoko would have done. Happily.

"I think there were _factors_ involved that _you_ don't understand," Kurama still spoke in the same quiet voice, "Those _factors_ Koenma, were Yusuke and Kuwabara. Their _lives_ Koenma. Do you understand that? Oh but of _course _you do."

The kitsune smiled sarcastically, "After all, you _are_ the powerful, all-knowing lord of Reikai are you not? You know about _everything_ that's going on."

Koenma bit his tongue hard, averting his eyes from the fox, staring at the ground. Kurama snorted in disgust, gold eyes flashing. "Tell me, what did you feel? When you saw your papers that morning? Did you feel anything?"

Koenma said nothing. Kurama turned away in disdain, completely disregarding his former employer.

"You know… I blamed myself for a while," he spoke with the distant air of one who is trying to make out something very blurred or far away, "I blamed myself for not being quick enough, for being too complacent, for not being prepared. I thought I was going insane for a little while."

Koenma listened as the kitsune casually recounted his worst moments of weakness, something that no other youkai would ever do. In the Makai, to show weakness was to show vulnerability. To be vulnerable was to be dead. But the normal rules didn't apply with Yoko Kurama. He didn't have to fear admitting his weaknesses because any demon stupid enough to assume that he was an easy target because of them, would be either insane or just very very stupid, neither of which would last long in the Makai. And so the kitsune continued to talk, his golden eyes fixing back on the demigod's pale face.

"But then I realised that there was no way I could have got there in time. Unless of course," an edge entered the calm drawl, "I had been told about five minutes earlier than I sensed it."

Jin saw Koenma's shoulders tense, the hazel eyes dilating into a thin ring around the pupil. Kurama was standing absolutely still, his lazy half-lidded eyes boring into the lord of Reikai as the fox continued to torment the teenager-shaped toddler.

"But you knew didn't you? You knew he was attacking and you knew where he was heading. You could have saved them if you'd wanted to. You could have just called us. Hiei would have got there in time, even if I… what?"

An odd look had crossed the demigod's eyes when he had mentioned the fire youkai's name. After millennia of dealing with some of the most devious politicians in the Makai the kitsune was an expert at reading emotions at the drop of a hat. Kurama's golden eyes narrowed discerningly.

"What do you know Koenma?"

Koenma turned his back abruptly, folding his arms across his chest so the three demons would not see his hands shaking. Keeping his voice in check was another matter and Koenma winced at the high pitched waver that croaked feebly from his suddenly dry throat.

"Now… now listen Kurama, I know we did not part on the best of terms but… I always admired you."

A suspicion was beginning to creep into the kitsune's sharp mind. But no… surely not even Koenma would… His gold-flecked eyes watched the demigod's every move as Koenma spoke.

"I always thought, that out of the Tantei, you were the most rational of them. You would understand that some decisions… have to be made for the greater good."

Jin's blue eyes flashed in utter fury and he made to step forward when something caught his wrist. Kurama met the wind shinobi's eyes and very slowly, he shook his head. Kurama's silence unnerved the lord of Reikai more than any rage the fox demon could have possibly vented. He waited for a moment before ploughing on.

"I know you will understand that the law of Reikai must be upheld even if we don't all necessarily agree with some of the decisions – "

"You know where he is don't you?"

A cold dread settled itself permanently into the demigod's stomach like a malignant virus. He turned slowly to face the fox demon, eyes wary.

"Know where who is Kurama?"

This was too much for Jin. The wind shinobi had been devastated by the news of what had happened to his friends and now this little whelp was lying through his teeth so obviously that any stupid F-class could have seen it.

"_Yeh know bloody well who, yeh little_ – "

A fierce wind whipped up around the shinobi, scattering papers everywhere as the wind shinobi lunged at the demigod.

"Jin!"

Touya leapt forward, grabbing his partner by the shoulders as the wind shinobi struggled to get to Koenma. Jin was mad with rage and deep down, even Touya was shocked at the turmoil of sorrow and anger in the redhead's voice.

"_Yeh as good as KILLED Urameshi yeh little son of a bitch, an' then yeh don' even have the decency teh answer truthfully! If ah were you ah'd be cowerin' on mah knees and beggin' fer fergiveness_!"

Koenma was about to reply when he saw something that froze his blood completely. Kurama was staring rigidly at a spot on Koenma's desk that had been previously covered with paperwork. Koenma knew what he was looking at and knew that all his carefully constructed plans had just collapsed. There, scored deeply into the heavy wood, was a single, clean cut, blackened fissure as though some sharp weapon had been pressed into the polished surface a little too hard.

If there was one thing that Kurama prided himself on, it was his memory for detail. He had not been back to this office in ten years yet he knew that these marks had not been there before. Kurama raised his eyes very slowly to look straight at Koenma. They were gleaming gold. Touya was still holding Jin back and yet the two of them were transfixed by the scene in front of them. Koenma was tensed like a steel spring but Kurama in contrast looked almost nonchalant.

"You know, something has been bothering me since the attack," the fox's tone was generally used by most people when talking about the weather, "I know that Hiei was in Ningenkai that day, I had seen him. So naturally I was a little confused when after the attack I was told that he hadn't shown up. I assumed he had gone back to the Makai early since there was no way he could not have sensed the attack and he is much faster than I am."

An innocently puzzled look graced the kitsune's flawless features.

"Imagine my astonishment when three years later, I went to the domain of Lady Mukuro and found that she had not seen him for… oh… three years or so. That's strange, I thought, Yusuke and Keiko's wedding was around that time wasn't it? And there was of course that little 'accident' a week later where I lostsome of my dearest friends. What a _coincidence_."

He looked back at Koenma, a knowing expression lurking around his features.

"I've been looking for him for ten years now. I think I know who could help me find him."

Koenma closed his eyes and sank heavily into his chair. Burying his head in his hands he forced back the flood of memories that the fox demon's all-too-knowing words triggered in his mind. He wrestled with his conscience and his common sense, trying to think of some way he could resolve the situation.

_Damn that bloody fox for being too smart for his own bloody good._

Finally he raised his head to look at Kurama.

"Yes, I know. I know where Hiei is."

Really, thought Touya off-handedly as he observed the scene before him with a sort of detached insanity, you had to admire Koenma's nerve, even if it made you want to rip his head off. If Kurama had been looking at _him_ like that, he suspected that he would have melted into a small puddle on the floor quite a while ago.

"How long have you known?"

The question was quiet but Koenma heard it all too clearly. He silently prayed that his immortality would not desert him now as he prepared to do possibly the most dangerous thing he had ever done in his immortal life, including facing Sensui.

"Listen… I'll tell you everything you need to know," he swallowed hard, his dry throat clenching, "but first… you have to do something for me."

For a moment the demigod was convinced that Kurama was actually going to tear his voicebox out. He had to physically stop himself from taking a step backwards at the look in those flashing golden orbs.

"I think I misheard you Koenma-sama," came the silky reply, "Unless I'm much mistaken, I thought you said that you wanted _my_ help."

Koenma was finding it harder and harder not to press back against the wall. He was grateful for the sturdy desk between himself and the kitsune. Jin was struggling against Touya's grip again although the ice master looked as though he was contemplating whether to 'accidentally' let his partner go.

"You didn't mishear me Kurama," replied Koenma evenly, "I will tell you where to find Hiei if you do something for me first. Jin, kindly control yourself or I'll have you thrown out of my office."

"You're treading on thin ice brat," snarled Touya venomously, murky eyes flashing, "and believe me, it's creaking."

"Maybe so but nevertheless I must have your word that what I am about to tell you will stay between us. If I do not feel that I can trust you then you will get nothing."

Kurama had lowered his head, silver streaked hair hiding his face in shadow.

"I must ask you one question first, and you must answer it with the truth." When he raised his head Koenma saw that the amber had vanished where only sorrowful emerald remained. In a way, those eyes were even harder to meet than the flashing fury of Yoko. Guilt swept over him as he stared in the weary, betrayed eyes of the fox demon who had fought for him so long ago, alongside his friends, all of them so happy, so sure, so strong. Koenma forced himself to speak.

"That depends what the question is."

"Is he dead?"

Koenma swallowed hard, his eyes beginning to sting as he looked into the lonely emerald orbs. Touya's eyes had narrowed into slits and Jin was staring at the demigod's face.

"That… depends," answered Koenma hesitantly, "On what you mean."

"Wha' d'you mean 'tha' depends?" said Jin impatiently, "He's either dead or he isn't."

"Jin…" Touya placed a hand on the wind shinobi's shoulder, "As much as I wish to impale him to the wall and sell his skin for parchment in the Makai – " Koenma tried very hard not to gulp, "I think this is one time where we have to hear him out." The wind master threw the demigod a disgruntled look but lapsed into silence. Koenma nodded slightly.

"I can't tell you without violating our agreement, but for now… yes, he is alive."

"What do you mean, 'for now'?" asked Kurama, the silver in his hair receding slightly.

"I've already told you," Koenma said flatly, "you do something for me and I will answer all the questions you have."

"What do you need us to do?"

"Kill a demon."

"What class?"

Koenma looked down, almost sheepishly, at his feet, "High B."

Kurama raised an eyebrow, "All you wanted was for us to kill a B class demon? I thought you had junior Tantei for those kind of jobs. Oh. But I forgot…"

His smile had a nasty sting to it. He turned on his heel, "Good day Koenma-sama."

As the fox demon swept from the room, long red hair rippling behind him, Koenma had the strangest feeling that he himself had just been dismissed. He fought down the feeling of inferiority, noting that the two shinobi showed no signs of leaving. Jin looked after Kurama before turning back to the demigod, blue eyes glinting.

"Ah jus' thought ah ought teh tell yeh," he said brightly, "tha' if yeh even think aboot betrayin' us ah'll personally come and rip yer flesh inteh little pieces an' feed 'em teh K'rama's death plant."

With a smirk the wind master leapt lightly into the air and swooped after Kurama, grinning evilly at a terrified green ogre that scuttled away with a squeak. Koenma attempted to compose his features for the last time as his tired eyes were raised to meet the shimmering orbs of the ice master.

Touya held his stare for longer than Koenma felt comfortable with, before speaking. "You just did something very stupid you know," the shinobi commented noncommittally.

The demigod did not move as the ice demon stepped past him, heading for the open door of the demigod's office.

"Really? And what was that Touya?"

The ice master walked to the door, his face hidden from Koenma. Pausing briefly, one hand curling around the door handle, Touya spoke without looking back at the demigod.

"You made a deal with a fox."

* * *

"Well, this is it."

Botan stared out of the car window at the small white dwelling. A gap in the sturdy woven fence allowed her a glimpse of a beautiful traditional Tsukiyama garden, lush greenery screening most of the delicate building from prying eyes. Now that she was here, she found herself wondering what she was going to say. She had been filled with anger at Koenma and determination to set things right but now she saw that dainty, clearly beloved home, the very picture of serenity, a wave of guilt washed over her.

"Are you gonna stare at it all day or are you actually gonna get out of the car?"

She jumped at Shizuru's half brusque, half amused words. The ferry girl sighed and leant back in her seat.

"I… I just… it's difficult. What if they don't listen to me?"

Shizuru lit a cigarette, reclining in her seat.

"Not my scene ferry girl. I got you here and that's it. I'm not gonna start being Miss Referee for you."

Botan glanced uncertainly at the house again.

"But… what if – "

"Geez just get out the bleedin' car will you? You're gonna have to do it sooner or later and I'm getting bored."

Botan smiled wanly to herself. Hidden within all the bravado was Shizuru's way of saying good luck.

"Thanks Shizuru," she said gratefully, "for everything."

The brunette grunted noncommittally.

"Whatever. OUT!"

Botan took a deep breath and pushed the car door open, stepping out into the crisp evening air. Somewhere in the cherry trees a bird twittered happily. Botan swallowed hard. She couldn't remember being so unsure, so doubtful of herself, so –

"Oi!"

Botan turned her head to look back at Shizuru who had rolled down the car window, her long hazel tresses curling slightly in the breeze.

"Think airhead!"

The brunette grinned and drove away, disappearing in a cloud of dust. Botan laughed despite herself. She had truly missed the tough older girl, despite Shizuru's kick ass attitude she was as kind as they came, even if she had her own small vices.

A thought struck her and slowly, she reached up to her hair. Pulling out the two pins that held it, she ran her fingers through the blue waves. Gathering it up, she ferreted around in the pocket of her chalk-white kimono. At last she pulled out a tattered pink ribbon and tied the cerulean tresses into a loose ponytail, allowing long silky strands to fall messily around her face.

Running her hands wistfully through her hair, she was surprised at how much lighter she felt. Taking a deep breath, she looked up. A tall, beautifully engraved wooden archway stood over the entrance, a small unlit lamp hanging from a rusted ring embedded in the old wood. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes and consciously forcing her body to relax. First her arms, then her legs, then her shoulders. Okay… just breathe, just breathe.

She walked timidly under the wooden archway, a strange feeling sweeping through her stomach as she did so. Looking up she saw the kanji symbols engraved into the top and winced. Wards. The smouldering characters were designed to keep enemies away. Well… if it had let her through… Turning around, she could barely keep from gasping in wonder.

A gentle stream trickled down a rocky slope, rippling down into a small, crystalline pool. The clear water was set off by the glimmering pink tinge of the setting sun that danced lightly over the lustrous surface of the water. Delicate paper screens were intermingled with flower laden shrubs and the shapely figure of a slender cherry tree stood in the very centre of the grass, just in front of the home itself, many laden buds swelling on its branches. It seemed Kurama had been busy before he left.

She trod lightly over the verdant carpet, breathing in the smell of the beautiful place, her eyelids closed lightly over cloudy amethyst orbs. She stretched out a tentative hand, opening her eyes once more as they met the bark of the sakura tree. It was nearly April… she looked up at the laden branches overhead. It had been so long since they had celebrated Hanami under the white sakura. So long…

She found herself fighting the urge to just conjure her oar and fly back to Reikai. It didn't seem… right, somehow, for her to be here. She was just a painful reminder of a terrible tragedy; she felt that she was violating the serene place with her very presence. She gritted her teeth, forcing herself to focus. If someone didn't do something then the three worlds would suffer because she got cold feet at the last minute. Alight with new resolve she left the protective shadow of the sakura to look up at the dwelling before her.

A gently sloping roof curved down to meet simple wooden pillars, a set of wooden steps leading up to the thin sliding doors, plain white paper shining with the golden light within the house. She strained her ears and fancied that she could hear the faint murmur of voices inside, warm smells of cooking drifting out into the still night air. She raised her hand and then saw it was trembling. She gritted her teeth.

_You're gonna have to do it sooner or later _

Botan took a deep breath, Shizuru's words ringing in her ears.

"Well, here goes nothing."

She rapped smartly on the painted wood, three times. She heard a crash and a man's voice cursing colourfully. She clenched her fists in her pockets as footsteps were heard stamping nearer and nearer.

"Do you people have no respect for other people's privacy!"

A familiar voice rang through her mind, stirring the dusty cobwebs of her memory. She opened her eyes as the fragile sliding door was yanked irritably to one side.

"If you're another one of those goddamned sales-people I swear I… will… Botan?"

She looked up, a small smile on her face.

"Hey Yusuke."

* * *

**HA HA HA! CLIFFIE! REVIEW OR… excuse me… HELP! (runs away from angry reviewers). **

**EvilAlterEgo: --;**


	6. Reunions 2

**(Gapes at screen. Gapes some more. Is still gaping. Gurgles. Swirly eyes.)**

**EvilAlterEgo: (glares) perhaps I ought to inform you of the precise reason my dear hikari is acting like one of the rarer varieties of goldfish? First of all she was yelled at by several different people, then some nutcase coughpeekachancough came and duck-taped her to her chair although she did put up a forcefield around her so that a certain someone coughkilikxiaoliancough was unable to harm her was a pitchfork. She has received several death threats and then you all go and leave all those reviews, she's just not used to it! You've sent her into shock! SNAP OUT OF IT DAMMIT! smacks hikari over the head.**

**Ow… oh hey… OI! EAE! DELETE ALL THAT MEAN STUFF YOU WROTE ABOUT MY REVIEWERS!**

**EAE: (smirks) Make me.**

**(glares) I won't let you watch Naruto…**

**EAE: Hey I'M the evil one here! You can't do that!**

**Oh whatever. First of all SO MANY REVIEWS! TEN! AND ALL FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE! (hugs all reviewers) Okay I'm going to stop acting like a sad person now. I'm so sorry I haven't updated in so long. If it's any excuse I had exams and writer's block at the same time -- which was NOT fun. Anyway, REPLIES.**

**Ani Mei: Don't worry, I know it seems confusing at the moment and I tell you now, ALL SHALL BE REVEALED. Just not right now. hugs THANK YOU for reviewing!**

**IwuvMyKenshyPoo: Y'know, I got curious as you obviously were enjoying my fic (did you review every single chapter? Wow…) and so I went and read your profile and… are you on a permanent sugar high or something? 'Cos you and your friend's conversations sound scarily similar to conversations I've had with my friends (e.g. "Fuzzy llama!" "Funny llama!" "Llama in a car!" "Noooo you got it wrong again!" "No I didn't!" "YES YOU DID!" "I HATE YOU!" conversation between me and my best friend when we randomly started singing the llama song --;) But some of those quotes had me choking, especially the "MY MOMMY SAYS I'M SPECIAL!" one. Anywho, don't fret about Hiei all shall be revealed (I'm saying that a lot) apologies for the delay. **

**KyoHana: I'm writing more fast I promise! Arigato for reviewing and being so nice to me! Aw I feel all fluffy and happy now. La la la. (EAE: smacks herself in the face)**

**Dragontamer103088: Eep! Calm down! Breathe! And sorry, you can't kill Koenma… yet. I need him for the story. Yes, everyone fears for Hiei, me too believe me glares at EAE (EAE: evil cackle) Thank you for reviewing and hope ya like this chapter. I'll explain about the whole Yusuke being dead but not, just not this chapter. Although some people might figure it out being the clever little buggers that they are.**

**Peeka-chan: (sees forcefield) Aw thank – hey! (struggles with duct tape) AHH! HELP! OKAY OKAY I'LL WRITE! HERE! LET ME OUT! No… not the puppy eyes! EVIL!**

**Uma Thermus: Here ya go, sorry it took so long. If you're still here that is. I'll try and keep Jin and Touya around for you and thank you for the review!**

**Kilikxiaolian: (cowers from pitchfork) Okay, now let's talk about this… I don't leave cliff hangers that often (checks end of chapter) um… DON'T KILL ME!**

**MikaSamu: Hm… it seems there is someone who may unravel the mysteries of the plot (evil eyes) maybe they should be silenced (EAE: This story has no plot you baka) SHUT UP! Ergh. Thank you for reviewing! I'm glad you're enjoying the mystery factor in this (EAE: But there isn't a - ) URUSAI! I must admit, I did enjoy writing that little scene between Jin, Touya and Kurama. Here's another chapter for you and review!**

**Nekokitkat: Will do!**

**Apparition7: Apparently I seem to enjoy leaving cliffhangers… ah well. Keeps it interesting doesn't it? (Reviewers: glare) Er… eheh heh… yeah. AH! Not you too Everyone is trying to kill me! IT'S ALL A CONSPIRACY! HELP!**

**Once again thank you all so much! And I'm sorry for leaving it for so long. I will NOT abandon this story, you have my word. That said, please enjoy! This chapter's fairly long. And calm down about Hiei, as I have said countless times ALL SHALL BE REVEALED. Just not yet. Oh and by the way, I dunno if I mentioned this before or not but if anyone wants to beta this it would be helpful as I have a memory like a sieve. My email should be available on my profile.  
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Mantalus smirked as he watched his prey walk past the window of the café, his table conveniently positioned so he could watch the man as he crossed the street. He had been tracking him all day ever since he had caught sight of the rich jade eyes, no trace of brown or dull grey marring their surface. They were the best in his opinion: very deep, pure colours: tasted like chocolate. He had thought briefly of making a collection of the finest colours but he had always ended up being unable to resist the gorgeous gems.

He looked back at his newspaper as two teenagers strolled past, so completely absorbed in arguing that they barely noticed him. That was the beauty of the whole thing, he thought with another barely noticeable smirk. Ningens were so helpful when it came to concealing himself among them because they just fitted him into the scenery. They were so gormless and wrapped up in their own silly lives that it was a veritable all-you-can-eat buffet out here.

Back in the Makai, it had been a whole different story. He had been lucky to get so much as a scrap of iris back with his tribe where he had been considered a weakling because of his sneaky methods of hunting and comparative lack of power. When he had got through to Ningenkai he had been completely overwhelmed by how easy it was to simply pick out a meal and… well… pick it out as it were. His smirk became more noticeable now, slightly-too-long canines pressing into his bottom lip. If only his idiotic 'tribe' could see him _now._

He had been wary at first of being hounded by that blasted toddler's spirit detectives. However, after his little 'confrontation' with that group of bungling idiots who supposedly worked for Koenma, he had been feeling perfectly relaxed.

The new Reikai Tantei were no match for him and in any case, he hadn't seen them for at least a week. While they had been hunting him, he had seen them looking desperately for him. He had sat for an entire morning on a park bench shaking with suppressed laughter, watching the imbeciles looking high and low for him.

Now he got casually to his feet, not bothering to leave a tip for the waitress who threw him a dirty look as he sauntered past. He ignored her and pushed his way out of the ningen café, grimacing slightly at the amount of people crowding left and right. That was one thing he still despised about Ningenkai: it was far too crowded to be comfortable to a demon. However it was a necessary evil. It made it effortlessly easy to blend in and stalk his prey, following the scent of his chosen prey, slipping through the crowds with the practised ease that comes from experience.

There, his prey had turned the corner down a dark alley to a group of dingy apartments, not so much as glancing around him. Mantalus sent another prayer of thanks to whatever unholy spirit had cast this great luck on him. Humans were so densely oblivious it was almost pitiable. He preferred to look at it as advantageous.

Slipping discreetly out of the stream of humans, he blended back into the shadows, clinging to the sides of the alley as he followed soundlessly. The young human stopped and fumbled in his pockets, muttering under his breath. Mantalus moved closer, long serrated claws breaking through the skin of his hands. There was a clink of a set of keys hitting the ground and the man cursed, bending down to pick them up, completely unaware of the danger he was in. Mantalus smirked and stepped out into the light, claws clearly visible even in the dim light.

The youth, seeming to sense someone behind him, turned, glanced at him and then froze. Those delicious green eyes widened as they settled on the sharpened, deadly limbs. The keys fell from nerveless fingers and the youth backed away, eyes filled with horror.

"What… what the hell are you!"

Mantalus grinned, closing in on his defenceless victim, running his eyes up and down the youth's figure, feeling another feeling start in him. Lower than his stomach. Maybe he would have a little 'fun' with this one before he devoured him. His claws clicked in excited anticipation.

"Me? I'm a demon." He held up his fearsome claws, the dull light glinting off the serrated edges. "Surprised?"

The youth's eyes left his face to look past him, blinked once or twice and then the emerald orbs trailed lazily back to the demon's face, a startling change occurring in the deep jade gems. To Mantalus's consternation, there was some sort of mild surprise there, but all the fear seemed to have vanished as surely as if it had never been there.

"Well… yes as a matter of fact I am."

The slurred, terrified voice had gone to be replaced with a clear, cultured tone that held such calm geniality that Mantalus halted in his tracks. There was something weird about this guy's energy signature now he came to think about it. Why was it so subdued? Even ningen auras, as pathetic as they were, would show some sort of alarm at the impending attack. The youth's faint smile gave his face an expression of eerie serenity as Mantalus stared, confused at his intended victim.

"Oh, how rude of me. Please, take a look for yourself."

His eyes snapped wide as the ki suddenly flared around the youth, exposing him for what he truly was. It was youki! Not only that but… bloody _hell!_ He was hunting a freaking _super_ _A class_!

Unfortunately for the parasite, he was so wrapped up in being petrified that he didn't register the faint noise until it was too late. He spun around just in time for the enormous glittering ice spear to run him through. A pair of impassive, pupiless eyes looked back at him with a faint expression of disdain at the lack of resistance. The tall redhead stepped forward, masking his youki once more as the eye-eater fell to the floor of the alleyway, his own eyes wide, filled with confusion and fear.

"I was surprised," Kurama continued, "because most demons of your class had at least _some_ sense of self preservation. Dear me, I _have_ been away for a while."

Kurama watched the demon die dispassionately, mind already back to Koenma's cryptic words. Jin flitted down, alighting beside the ice master who was regarding his handiwork with a pensive air.

"You know, that's another advantage of using ice. You can't get fingerprints from puddle of water." Touya shrugged, "Not that it actually matters, but still."

The ice master looked back at Kurama who was lost in thought, his emerald eyes distant and clouded.

"Back to his _lordship_ then Kurama? Or would you prefer for me and Jin to go and murder him just for letting imbeciles like this into Ningenkai?"

The fox demon looked pensively down at the corspe.

"It is a little depressing isn't it?"

* * *

Botan gazed at the young man standing in the open doorway. Shocked chocolate brown eyes stared at her, their owner completely paralysed in utter disbelief. Dark hair that had always been slicked back with large amounts of hair gel (she had once speculated if it was in fact axle grease) was longer and lighter, tied back in a loose ponytail that just reached his shoulders. Delicate wisps fell gracefully into his deep brown eyes, ruffled across a weather beaten brow. Strong muscles were visible in his bare arms, the short sleeved shirt hiding broad shoulders and a slender but lithe body.

Botan simply stood and looked at her old friend, remembering. Everything had happened so quickly, so soon… too soon. They had been too young for so much pain. She felt her vision begin to blur in a watery haze and hurriedly blinked her tears back. She wondered vaguely if this was a dream as she watched his face, his expression. A jumble of emotions was racing across the young man's face, snapping at each others heels, each as indiscernible as the last. Botan's hands had unconsciously twined together tightly behind her back, her palms sweaty and her fingers trembling.

_You came this far, _she told herself sternly, trying valiantly to ignore the churning feeling in her stomach, _you can't just run away. You have to do something before it's too late. He'll hear you out. It's just Yusuke anyway…_

"Yusuke…"

The youth stiffened at the sound of her voice and he seemed to snap out of his shock. To her dismay his features hardened like stone and his eyes darkened.

"Leave."

The one word was spoken with such quiet, convicted menace that she took as step back, her eyes widening in shock.

"Yusuke – "

"I won't ask again ferry girl."

She jerked back as though stung, her mind numb at the coldness in the young man's face. Never before had Yusuke spoken to her with such uncaring harshness, addressing her with such detached indifference. Not a single gleam of his mischievous spirit that she had grown so fond of over the years she had known him remained in those deep chocolate eyes, only a shadow of pain that masked their former vibrant aura.

"Yusuke… please…"

"Are you deaf?"

Tears blurred the outline of the figure before her as he glared, nothing but anger and distaste in his expression. It burned her heart and she hung her head, unable to look at that expression on her dear friend's face, unable to face the sorrow and anger still reflected in his eyes.

"Yusuke!"

A clear, familiar voice, changed a little with age but still easily recognisable, floated down the hall to where the two were standing.

"Yusuke, who is it?"

"Nothing for you to worry about koibito," Yusuke called back, his angry gaze still fixed on Botan. There was the sound of something metal clanking against a hard surface, as though a pan had just been put on a stove.

"Well hurry up, dinner's ready!"

"I'm coming!"

Yusuke turned and gave Botan a look which clearly said 'leave now'. Botan bit her lip and silently shook her head and, just for a moment, Yusuke saw the look of desperation in her eyes and hesitated.

"Yusuke?"

Botan turned her head to see a pale, brown-haired figure walking carefully towards them, her finger tips trailing lightly along the white walls. Botan felt another wave of grief shudder through her. The woman was taller than she remembered and wore a long cream-coloured dress with a loose swishy skirt, her bare feet making no noise on the tatami mats. Her movements were measured and graceful, as though she was someone who put far more thought into the way she moved than others did. She wore a pretty red headscarf that not only held back her long chestnut hair but also reached down to cover her eyes.

Yusuke swiftly left the door to gather the woman into his arms in a tender embrace, an act of affection that he would never show to anyone else in the memories Botan still had of him. He had been Urameshi Yusuke, terror of Sarayasaki high school, badass punk and spirit detective, not to mention powerful demon lord, ruler of Makai... and so the list goes on.

"Yusuke," murmered the woman against his shoulder, "why is the door still open?"

"I'll close it now," said Yusuke firmly, turning away from his wife and putting one hand on the sliding door.

"Keiko-chan!"

The words burst from Botan's lips before she could stop herself and she watched as both Keiko and Yusuke froze. Keiko turned her head towards the sound, her voice hoarse and faint.

"B-Botan-chan?"

Botan felt tears welling up in her eyes again as they wandered over her old friend's unseeing face. She found herself surprised that Keiko had called her by the name that she was so used to and it felt even stranger that she was surprised by it in the first place.

"Keiko… hai it's me."

The brunette seemed incapable of speech as she just stood there, motionless. Yusuke looked helplessly from the ferry girl to his wife, unsure of what to do. Slowly, hesitantly, Keiko moved forward, her arm rising up in front of her. Botan caught her questing hand gently in her own, tears running down her face. Keiko's other hand reached up, brushing Botan's arm and coming to rest against her wet cheek. Botan fought to stay still as the cool, smooth fingers ran with light, practised ease over her features.

"K-Keiko-chan… I…"

Botan found herself unable to speak. It wasn't that she didn't know what she wanted to say, she just didn't know how to say it. Keiko reached gently across her cheek and brushed her tears carefully away.

"Why are you here?"

The question wasn't harsh or full of bitter anger but was simply concerned curiosity. In some ways that was worse than Yusuke's anger.

"I… I need your help…"

She wondered how many times she had said that today, how weak they had truly become without these people. How much they needed them back… Yusuke moved forward as though he was about to say something, but Keiko, as though able to sense his movements, reached out a hand and caught his arm.

"Yusuke, it wasn't her fault. Don't blame her for things long past."

The former spirit detective glowered for a moment before dropping his gaze.

"Fine."

Keiko smiled gratefully at her husband and the two shared a brief kiss before Yusuke moved away into the kitchen, leaving Keiko to guide Botan, amazing the ferry girl with the way she moved so confidently and with such assured grace, as though she could in fact see everything around her with perfect clarity.

Botan carefully toed off her shoes before stepping on to the woven reed mats, looking appreciatively around the couple's home. The house was a mix of modern and old traditional design. The walls were painted a light mint green, a few pictures of rivers or trees pinned hung up here and there, adding a more personal feel. A clear crystal vase in the centre of a low glass table held a long elegant sprig of sakura blossoms, a few stray petals scattered around the base. Botan smiled.

"This place looks absolutely gorgeous Keiko."

The young woman beside her smiled wistfully.

"So Yusuke tells me all the time."

Botan immediately kicked herself but didn't apologise, knowing that Keiko hated to make anyone else feel uncomfortable. In some ways it was better to just treat her as though nothing had changed. But she made a firm mental note not to, as it had been described before by certain individuals, "open her big mouth and then proceed to put her foot in it and chew."

The soft sound of bare feet against the tatami heralded Yusuke's return from the kitchen. He was carrying a laden tray in his hands, three steaming cups and three bowls of rice and a pile of napkins, along with a dish of what looked like fish yosenabe. The delicious aromas washed over her and although she was a ferry girl and therefore not really susceptible to weaknesses such as hunger or tiredness… well… old habits were hard to shake.

Keiko reached out and Yusuke passed her a serving ladle and then a bowl. The girl filled it expertly and placed it directly in front of Botan. Yusuke silently laid a pair of chopsticks and a napkin beside it. Botan kept her eyes down, knowing that only Keiko's presence was holding back the anger and pain the former tantei must have been feeling. Keiko served the food, every inch the gracious hostess. Replacing the ladle she pressed her hands together and Botan and Yusuke followed suit, each murmuring a quiet 'Itadakimasu' before beginning to eat.

"Botan," Keiko said quietly, lifting her cup briefly to her lips, inhaling the fragrant steam, "I don't know how you found us if Koenma didn't send you," she seemed not to notice the way Yusuke tensed at that name, his chopsticks creaking warningly in his grasp, "but if you want Yusuke to fight again then you will be disappointed."

"Koenma didn't send me," Botan replied quietly, her spirits sinking further at the conviction in the blind woman's voice at that last sentence, "I… I had to come. I asked Shizuru…"

She trailed off, hanging her head, not sure what effect her confession would have on the two. Yusuke seemed to be deep in thought about something, his head lowered, long dark hair hanging over his eyes.

"Listen to me Botan-chan," said Keiko seriously, still using the familiar way of saying the ferry girl's name, "we cannot get involved in Reikai or Makai business ever again." Botan said nothing but stared down at the floor, wisps of bright blue hair curling into her eyes. This… this was not she had expected she realised with a start. For some reason she had harboured some sort of deep rooted assurance that if only she could find Yusuke again… then somehow, everything would be okay again. She understood at last that, although she had had doubts on the surface, she had never truly believed that Yusuke would not help them. He wouldn't… surely…

She raised her eyes to the Toushin's face, so much older than that reckless young spirit she had met when she had first taken him to Reikai. She remembered clearly, his indignant scowl, his mocking grin, his flat eyed 'whaaaat?' look… Now, as she searched that familiar face before her as he stared down at his half-finished food, she thought for a split second, that had they passed each other in the street, she would not have recognised him.

"Yusuke…"

The man looked up, meeting her gaze. Botan saw there a sort of hollow determination, so unlike that flair of burning spirit he had been so well known and loved for.

"Reikai needs to fight its own wars Botan."

Tears welled up in her eyes, at the calm tone. He had said her name then… he had said her name as he abandoned them… The droplets welled up and spilled down her cheeks but the ferry girl stared on regardless, looking for any scrap of the old Yusuke, the one she used to know so well. She couldn't let this go, she could not walk away. She wouldn't.

"You're not Yusuke."

The words were spoken so quietly that no normal ningen would have been able to understand them. But Yusuke did not have human hearing. A bitter smile spread across his face. He slowly got up, gathering up the dishes.

"No. I'm not."

With that, he walked away towards the kitchen. Botan sat as still as stone, tears trickling down her frozen features, her hands clasped tightly in her lap, eyes fixed on the empty space of that smile, the smile she had seen all too often. When ferrying spirits to the next world she was often the silent witness of many last stands. That smile she had seen too often, lingering around the eyes if those who had accepted their fate, who had resigned themselves to what they believed was the inevitable. Who had given up.

"NO!"

Yusuke started and half turned at the shout, filled with such intense emotion that it froze him on the spot. Botan got slowly to her feet, her wide, tear-filled eyes fixed on him, her mouth set.

"No," she repeated quietly, "You can't do this to yourself. I won't let you."

Yusuke's dark, shadowed eyes met her shining amethyst ones.

"What?" The word was flat, no emotion or spirit animating it. It was as though he was reading his words from a giant invisible script of melancholy. Botan's fists clenched.

"This isn't going to bring him back Yusuke."

The Toushin's face froze, his eyes widening, neck tensing.

"Urusai."

"You're killing yourself here," tears were running down her face once again, "and you can't even see it. Don't do this to yourself."

"I said shut up ferry girl."

She flinched at the harsh command but continued, trying desperately to find some way of making him see, making him understand how much they needed him. Her eyes widened as an idea came to her mind. She had promised not to tell anyone but, it was Yusuke…

"Do you think you can just come and – "

"Yusuke," Botan interjected, her eyes glittering, "Hiei's missing."

Yusuke stopped in mid tirade, staring at her.

"What?"

* * *

Kurama was unable to speak, unable to breathe. He stared, stunned at the Lord of Reikai, his wide emerald eyes frozen, unable to comprehend the information he had just ben given. Jin was open-mouth, incredulous. Touya's fists had clenched, his eyes just as wide as Kurama's. Koenma, unable to meet their eyes, stared down at his hands, waiting.

Finally, Kurama managed to speak, to whisper.

"You. Did. _What?"_

_

* * *

_

**I left another cliffie didn't I? Ah well (sees angry readers) now now, patience is a virtue – EEP!**


	7. Reunions 3

I'M BAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK! Oh… er heh heh, EAE! HELP! (frantically trying to activate Peeka-chan's forcefield only to find it has run out of battery) AHHH! (is mobbed by angry reviewers)

EvilAlterEgo: (deadpan) It's your own fault for getting writer's block. As my moronic hikari said, we are back, for better or for worse I'm not entirely sure (darkly) although I have a pretty good idea. As the author appears to be otherwise engaged (Shikani: xx) I'll have to sort out this mess. Righto, a few points to take care of:

Firstly, the demon which attacked Keiko and Kuwabara is not the same one that Kurama, Jin and Touya killed. That was just a gutter demon I was using to get some BLOOD around here. Secondly for those who thought that Kurama was OOC during that bit where he got "scared" seeing the demon that Touya killed… that's 'cos he was acting scared to lure the demon into a false sense of security. Because he likes screwing around with people's brains because he is sadistic no matter what the fluff people may think. Thirdly the reason dumbarse here (prods Shikani with her toe) was away for so long was a combination of writer's block, family matters and exams. I would beg for your forgiveness if I was the sort to beg. But I'm not. So I won't. Shikani will when she wakes up (looks doubtfully down at stricken author) if she wakes up…

Replies (kicks Shikani awake) OI DUMBASS! Come talk to your reviewers!

Reviewers? REVIEWS! Of course! I am miraculously recovered.

EAE: Get on with it.

**IwuvMyKenshyPoo: (falls over laughing) You better still be reading this! I'll cry if you aren't. I'm so sorry I haven't updated in so long and you are still really scary and I can't lose such a wonderful reader! Now for your questions, the eyeball eating thing is explained above, the Kuwabara thing will be sorted out shortly, the Kurama thing is right (the bit about him being mad) and yeah Yusuke is still pissed. I'll sort everything out soon don't worry.**

**Dragontamer103088: Er… heh you may have to wait just a little teensy bit longer and he is a baka yeah but it's not all his fault (shrinks under glare) um… eep?**

**MikuSama: Oh you are so nice to me. It's good to know my writing is at a reasonable level, I'm thinking of becoming a writer later on. The hints and mysteries are just a bad little habit of mine (sheepish) I will explain everything eventually.**

**LoversPastForgotten: Sorry, not this chapter, but probably next chapter ;) Promise!**

**xXDaRkNeSs RoSiNeSsXx: That's a good enough review for me. Sorry you're so confused and the cliffies will be happening on a fairly regular basis but the pieces will be fitted together. Eventually…**

**Ani Mei: (hugs) GOMEN! I'll try to sort things out but I can't rush this or I'll spoil it. Hope you understand. **

**Taiyou: EEP! (cowers) don't kill me. Yeah they're all mad at Koenma… well I haven't really come out and said it yet, I will outline exactly what happened in future chapters, but hints have been dropped everywhere and things have been partially explained.**

**Peeka-chan: That forcefield you gave me was so wonderful (is covered in bumps, burns and bruises) but it turns out there was a very angry EAE with a waffle iron… (EAE: WELL I USE IT ON DUCKS!) Heh heh, I spelt it right (sticks tongue out at EAE. Peeka-chan's smarter than you! (notices Peeka-chan brandishing waffle iron) er… can't we talk this over? I'M SORRY! Here is next chappie! I love you for being so wonderful so PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! Did I really make you cry? Wow… (sniffs) I feel so… happy…**

**KyoHana: I understand you completely believe me. I'm mean aren't I? I should be ashamed and I am. Here is next chappie and promise to update more (evil cackle) but if you think you're going to get less agonising cliffies you are sadly mistaken my friend!**

**Coffeegrl: Really? Arigato!**

**Uma Thermus: Hiei will come! Be patient! I want to see him as much as you do believe me, he IS my favourite character after all.**

**Apparition7: I answered your queries about and I understand about the smacking Yusuke over the head thing but it would probably do more damage to the oar than it would to Yusuke's head so… And yeah, you aren't the only one with the lack of patience thing (shifty glance in KyoHana's direction) and everyone says they won't join the conspiracy (paranoid) BUT I KNOW THE TRUTH!**

**EAE: Okay that's enough now, you still have concussion from all those things the reader threw at you. Personally I find all this rather entertaining but oh well.**

Finally I would like to sincerely apologise for the delay and hopefully we're back on track. I have more time to write now and my writer's block is partially cured. I need REVIEWS people. Let me know you're still there for me and I will love you forever! In a _philos_ kind of way.

Disclaimer. I think this is fairly self-explanatory, let's move on shall we?

* * *

Botan stared back at Yusuke, her wide tearfilled eyes fixed on his in desperation, willing him to understand. Yusuke himself seemed to have forgotten his strict refusal to listen to anything she said, his face was clouded with worry, the sad shadows momentarily leaving his eyes to be replaced by an overwhelming anxiety. 

"Whaddaya mean the shrimp's missing? What the hell happened to him?"

Botan could only shake her head. "I don't know," she sighed, sniffing, "But if we're ever going to find him I know we need your help Yusuke. Kurama's been searching for ages and he still hasn't found him."

Yusuke's eyes widened, "What! Kurama hasn't found him? What the hell?"

Botan nodded silently.

He turned around completely, "That's bull! Kurama can find _anybody._ He's the super smart ages old fox demon isn't he? I know Hiei's small but he's not _that _small."

Botan shrugged, dragging the back of her hand across her eyes with a sniff.

"I don't know the details exactly, Koenma-sama doesn't like to talk about it much, but I'm sure he's doing everything he can to find – "

"Everything he can? Oh yeah, we've seen how effective _that _is."

Botan winced at the sarcastic tone but jumped at the opportunity.

"Well, if you want to do something about it then come and help! You have no idea what good having you back would do us, we're practically grounded without you, all of our detectives have been eliminated and even the SDF is struggling to cope with issues in the Makai."

"SDF? That's whats-his-face lord person's elite unit isn't it?"

"Lord Enma," Botan stressed, unknowingly slipping back into the tone she had always used when about to explain something, "it stands for "special defence force" and yes, they are the elites, although they aren't as powerful as you are individually. If we have you back, that's you and Kurama, and once you find Hiei, which I know you will, then we will have practically all of the Reikai Tantei back together – "

"So that's your plan is it?" Yusuke overrode her, "you come back when you need me, pick me up and use me as a weapon against Reikai's enemies and then when you're done, just drop me back in the gutter? I don't think so."

"Yusuke no!" Botan shook her head, fear and frustration rising in her, "please understand, we tried not to trouble you, really we did, and I'm so sorry for everything you've been through and suffered for! But we _need _you back. You. You're our last hope, you're the only one strong enough to right the balance. Please Yusuke I'm begging you, not just for Reikai, but for all of us, your friends. Remember how hard you fought in the early days? Toguro, Sensui, all of it, with the others at your side. You all made sacrifices, don't let those sacrifices be in vain!"

For a moment there was hesitation in Yusuke's eyes, a spark of that old fire, that faint sense of courage and defiance that had kindled the fighter within him. The fighter that was his true self, the fighter he was trying so hard to turn away, to ignore, in his attempts to forget.

"Yusuke…"

Both he and Botan jumped at the quiet voice that came from the room's only other occupant. Caught up in their own verbal and mental struggles, the other two had momentarily forgotten Keiko was there. Yusuke walked back to the table, setting the dishes in his arms back down and taking his wife's hands. Keiko freed one of them to lightly caress his face.

"Do you want to leave?"

Yusuke jerked in surprise, staring at her.

"What?"

She bowed her head.

"It's just… you been cooped up so long. I don't know what it's doing to you… there's so much I can't see now. If there's anything I regret it's that – "

"Stop," Yusuke commanded, pulling her into his arms, "I'm fine Keiko, okay? Do you hear me? The old life doesn't matter to me now. What matters is you. Only you."

Keiko buried her face in her husband's muscled shoulder, clutching him tight.

"I'm just… scared, that if you don't leave now… then you might later… without saying goodbye…"

Yusuke took her shoulders and gave her a firm shake. "Keiko you listen to me. I will _never _leave you, do you understand? Especially without saying goodbye."

Botan felt lost. She didn't want to rip her two dearest friends apart, did not want to be the cause of that pain… and yet if she didn't, all of Reikai and Ningenkai would suffer the consequences. She lowered her head, clenching her fists. Two different ways of life. One of them she had to destroy. She closed her eyes, a sob rose in her throat but she choked it back. She couldn't do this… she had no experience in these matters. Her heart was too soft, too kind… too _human _for this.

Yusuke held his wife tight in his arms, his eyes darkening. He had allowed her to be hurt before. He would not hurt her again.

"Botan."

The ferry girl looked up, her eyes wide, desperate, and for a moment, his heart wavered. He shook himself, his mind flashing back to that night… he couldn't see that again…

"_Keiko! Keiko! Kuwabara! Where the hell are you!"_

"_What happened here?"_

"_KEIKO!"_

"_Yusuke… Kuwabara… he…"_

"_What's wrong with you? Dumbass wake up!"_

"_Yusuke he's – "_

"_You shut up! Kuwabara!"_

"_Yu…suke…"_

"_Keiko… oh my god…"_

"_WHO THE HELL DID THIS!"_

He shuddered at the memories that, even now were so vivid and painful it was untrue. He curled his arms tightly around his wife. Nothing else mattered. Nothing…

"_All along we thought you were a clever strategist. Really, you're just a lucky foo.."_

"_Hn. Just try not to die."_

"_Oi! Urameshi! I'm gonna beat you into the ground!"_

He closed his eyes.

Nothing…

_Hiei is going through a tricky change. It appears he's beginning to like you…_

Nothing at all…

* * *

Koenma's office lay in ruins, the walls deeply scarred, shredded paper littering the floor. Touya had been forced to take Jin right outside the gates of the building leaving Kurama alone with the little god. The fox demon himself sat in his chair, hands clasped in his lap. One could almost have called his bearing relaxed. That one however would be an ignorant nobody whose opinion would generally be discarded by anyone important and is therefore irrelevant. 

"So," said the fox demon in a voice of chilling, detached contemplation, "not only did you lie, and tell us that the demon responsible for Kuwabara's death and Keiko's injuries was dead, you prevented Hiei from reaching them."

He looked up, the glittering shards of emerald pinning Koenma's rigid form under the intensity of their power, "I would like you to repeat for me exactly what you did. I just want to make sure I caught it correctly."

Koenma swallowed. It was no use denying it; he was terrified, not just scared or shocked. His insides were curling up and shivering within him, every instinct telling him to flee, his brain frozen up and his body trembling. It was all he could do to sit upright. His pacifier had been ground down a good few millimetres in the last hour. The oni had long since fled and he didn't blame them. All activity in the offices of Reikai had ground to a halt and he was in the middle of it. He closed his eyes, concentrating on keeping his voice at a bearable pitch.

"Had Hiei been allowed to reach them it would have just meant one more casualty. I did what I had to do for the greater good, that demon was much too powerful."

"The greater good…"

Something about the way Kurama selected and repeated those few words made him want to curl up, whimpering. The fox demon leaned back slowly in his seat, clasping his hands and resting his chin thoughtfully on them.

"So… allowing Kuwabara to die, Keiko to be injured, Yusuke traumatized and emotionally devastated and myself sent off on a fruitless search while the enemy's forces slowly gathered… was all for the greater good."

Without warning, Kurama threw back his head and laughed, the clear, pealing sound echoing off the cracked, slightly blackened walls, sending chills down Koenma's spine. Bit by bit, the laughter died away, the silence creeping behind it, driving slowly and inexorably into the demigod's senses, shutting down his thought processes, leaving him with nothing but a feeling of tense, sick anticipation in his stomach, unable to think at all. He could only wait.

"And as for what you did to Hiei…"

Kurama's eyes snapped from emerald to liquid gold in a fraction of a second, the intensity of his stare doubling, burning into the little god's soul.

"Betrayal is unforgivable," he said simply. "When this is over, you will understand that. But for now I am taking this situation into my own hands, as Reikai authorities seem to possess all the survival instincts of a bunch of chronically depressed lemmings." he stood, stretching, catlike, "For now I take my leave. Oh and Koenma?"

The little god flinched as those scary gold eyes turned back on him, "I will expect a doorkey on my return." With that last cryptic comment, the fox demon was gone. Koenma slid to the floor in a tangled heap, almost sobbing in relief. Well, that had gone better than expected. He checked himself over. Yep, all four limbs.

_What if they bring Hiei back here?_

Koenma froze as that thought entered his mind.

Oh hell…

Yep, that's pretty much what it would be. He sighed, burying his head in his hands. This was like Sensui all over again, guilt twisting his insides like some malignant, deformed serpent. He had done what he thought was best and once again, it had been the very worse thing he could have chosen.

He sat miserably in the midst of the wreckage that had once been his office. He wished now, more than ever, that his Mufuukan had worked that day and that he and Sensui had been bound in a dark net of energy for all eternity. Things would have been so much simpler. He'd just have himself and the seven crazies. He could handle normal stuff like that.

They could have played cards… and talked… and exchanged death threats…

With that thought, the little god of Reikai sank into a miserable daydream of what could have been…

"_Koenma-sama! Koenma-sama!"_

_The little god of Reikai looked up irritably from his stamping._

"_What is it this time Jorge?"_

_The blue oni skidded to a halt beside his chair, knocking over the "To heaven/To hell" pile for the third time that morning (for some reason the "To hell" pile was significantly larger…) and thrusting a document under his nose._

"_Koenma-sama. It's… it's not true is it? Just a mix-up right?"_

"_What on earth are you…"_

_Koenma's voice trailed off as he read the flowing kanji. The stamp dropped from pudgy fingers as he leapt onto the desk, snatching the paper from the oni's grip and staring at it. Jorge looked on, rather disheveled and still panting._

"_Koenma-sama? I found it in the incoming souls box. You just wrote the wrong names down… right?"_

_The demigod slowly shook his head, wide horrified eyes never leaving the paper._

"_I don't write these forms Jorge."_

"_But… but it says…"_

_The paper dropped from Koenma's fingers, fluttering gently to the paper-strewn ground._

"_Kuwabara Kazuma…" he stared, agonized at the empty air, although he did not need the paper to see the names emblazoned before him, etched into his eyeballs, "and the Jaganshi… Hiei."_

_

* * *

(Oh, just before the end of chapter rant, that last bit was a flashback that Koenma was seeing)  
_

HA! Never saw THAT one coming now didja? Heheheheheh… oh crap… er EAE finish up here will ya? Cheers. (sprints out of range)

EAE: Bloody hikari… HIEI IS IN THIS STORY. DO NOT PANIC. DO NOT KILL. WHAT HAPPENED TO HIEI WILL BE REVEALED NEXT CHAPTER.


	8. See above and add 1

**I'm back, and to apologise for the delay it's a DOUBLE update! Also I promised I'd tell you what happened to Hiei and it turns out I couldn't do that with just one chapter… so here you are. Until I know what's going on with this answering reviews malarkey I'm not going to take the risk but thank you all so much for your reviews. Oh and I wanted to ask you, do you think this is good enough to put in my C2? I don't want to put a crappy story in there so unless it's unanimous I won't. I'm going to stop babbling now and let you read this (and Peeka-chan killed my EvilAlterEgo so she can't heckle) and once again reeeeeeeally sorry for the wait.**

**Do I look like I own Yu Yu Hakusho? Why thank you, but no I don't.**

**

* * *

**

"Botan."

The ferry girl looked up from her agonizing, hastily wiping her tears away. Yusuke was still holding his wife to him, his back to her so that she could not see the expression on his face. His voice was calm.

"I'm sorry that you had to come all this way for nothing."

The leaden weight of her already heavy heart began to drag at her, muting any desperate response she may have made. The hopelessness of the situation had worn away her resolve. She hung her head in defeat. The finality in Yusuke's voice made it clear: there was nothing more she could say. She nodded gently, slowly.

"This was pointless wasn't it? I came looking for Yusuke… I never found him."

She didn't see the pained expression on his face as she said those words.

"Well… it was nice seeing you both."

Without another word the ferry girl walked silently from the room, a strange sense of unreality enveloping her. Automatically she slipped her feet into her sandals, conjuring her oar. Settling herself on the familiar wood, she sat for a moment. This… should not have happened. Not to these people. Her knuckles turned white as her grip tightened on the wood. Why? Why them? The people least deserving of this torment… she could not put this down to fate, for even fate was not this cruel.

"Botan."

She turned abruptly at the quiet voice to see Yusuke standing in the doorway. In the rising moonlight, only half of him was illuminated, the rest drowned in shadow. Yet somehow, the part of him that was illuminated, compared to the shadow just seemed… faded. He was staring at her with a strange look on his face. Was it… regret? Sadness? Resignation? She couldn't tell. She didn't know him anymore.

"I just wanted to say… I'm not the only one of us who's changed."

She could only stare as he stepped back into the shadows of his home, the delicate paper door sliding closed was with a small click of wood on wood. She carefully put the oar down in the silver grass, put her head in her hands and wept silently under the stars.

* * *

Kurama stepped lightly down the stairs to where he could see Touya standing waiting for him, and a red and white something lying spreadeagled beside him. He raised a delicate red eyebrow at the sight and shot a sideways glance at the impassive ice shinobi.

"Did you really have to knock him out?"

Touya returned his look with an expression of pure innocence which only served to confirm Kurama's suspicions.

"I didn't knock him out. I tapped him on the head and he fell asleep."

Kurama smiled pleasantly, "Of course."

Touya stood from the lotus position in which he had been resting, stretching and turning his head to stare out of the colourful landscape of Reikai, the River Styx wending its way through the pink and gold fields like a shimmering silver ribbon. This light was something he did not see often and he savoured it. The world of the shinobi, the ninja, was a place of darkness and death. Although, he smiled softly, thinking of Jin's sunny grin and wide mischievous blue eyes, one might not think it. He sighed, turning to Kurama and raising an eyebrow.

"Well?"

Kurama's expression became serious and he looked over the bright plateau, his emerald eyes distant.

"I need to find a few people and deal with some personal matters before I can act on what Koenma has told us."

Touya nodded, "What are you going to do?"

Kurama smiled softly and turned back to the ice master. "I need to beg a favour my friend." Touya searched the fox's face with pupiless eyes. "What do you need?"

Kurama smiled gratefully for a moment before becoming businesslike once more. "I will need you to remain in Ningenkai for a little longer, there will be a place for you to stay where you will be welcome. Heaven knows you both deserve a rest."

"Lead the way," Touya said decisively before glancing downwards. "Although I suppose we ought to wake Jin seeing as we can't actually leave without him…" With a sweep of his hand and a flare of youkai, a fine shower of snow fell gently over his snoring companion.

"JIN! WAKE UP YOU USELESS LUMP OF IRISH SHINOBI!"

"GAH!"

The wind demon jumped at least fifty metres into the air (although unlike many people suffering this sort of reaction after being violently awakened, he actually _stayed _there) and looked around frantically, ears twitching madly.

"Wha'? Where th' bloody hell am ah?"

"Jin!" Kurama called up, fairly used to this sort of thing, "It's time to go."

The wind shinobi blinked, nonplussed for a minute before grinning widely.

"Did yeh kill 'im?"

Touya looked sidelong at Kurama, also interested in what had become of Koenma. Kurama frowned pensively.

"No… to be fair he isn't entirely to blame... and it would be irritating having the Reikai forces sent after me. I have been… _assured_ by Koenma that he won't breathe a word to his dear father about this little incident. If he does…" The two shinobi didn't need the kitsune to finish the sentence. Jin's grin widened.

"Le's be off then!"

Kurama smiled, "Er… Jin? You still seem to be a little aerially inclined."

Jin blinked. "Eh?"

Touya sighed. "Get down here you moron."

The wind master seemed to notice that he and his friends had been having a shouting match.

"Oh, righ'!" he grinned cheerily, dropping like a stone before stopping just as he hit the ground, the shockwave of his youkai ruffling Kurama's long red hair. Jin flipped upside down, smiling cheerfully.

"So, where we goin'?"

Then he remembered something and flipped upright, pointing an accusatory finger at the stony faced ice master.

"You HIT me!"

Kurama and Touya both sighed.

A sudden movement from the plateau caught all three of the fighters' attention immediately. Jin narrowed his bright eyes, his experienced vision he had gained from centuries of fighting from the skies easily picking out the figure riding what appeared to be an oar.

"Well tha's one fer th' record. Oi, K'rama, looks like tha' blue haired lassie your team used teh see."

"Botan?" Kurama murmured, peering down at the solitary figure. Touya looked at Kurama who had a pensive look on his face.

"Do you want to wait for her?"

Kurama considered this for a moment before nodding.

"I expect Botan has had more contact with our old friends than Koenma has, she may be able to tell us something he couldn't. I have a feeling we're going to need all the help we can get."

Touya nodded. Kurama's hunches were rarely wrong, if ever. Inwardly he knew how unlikely the situation was, two shinobi and the thief Youko Kurama working together, even trusting each other. It was odd how the direst of times could make the most bizarre things come to pass. After all, if there were no troubles then how could heroes be born? He shook his head and kicked himself mentally. He was thinking too much again.

Botan dragged her hand across her eyes again, fighting to keep her oar flying straight. She had nearly been thrown off in her distraction when she came through the dimensional tunnel. Her breathing was ragged, sounding harsh and loud in her own ears. She flew automatically, her mind in a daze, only her deep rooted ferry girl instincts keeping her from drifting away into the vastness of Reikai.

This feeling of utter helplessness, to help either her friends or her world, it tore at her, making her despairing heart ache with anguish. She had been too late; Yusuke could not be saved, and now neither could Reikai. She had failed. The burden on her heart dragged her down, so much so that she didn't notice she had reached land until she hit it a little faster than usual, making her stumble and trip, she closed her eyes and prepared herself for a painful impact, she found she had stopped falling.

Bewildered, she opened her eyes to find herself looking up into big bright blue eyes, twinkling in amusement. A pair of strong arms were wrapped around her shoulders.

"Now ah know a little sumthin' about flyin' lassie an' if yeh don' mind me sayin' tha' was a bloody awful landin'."

She blinked.

"Jin? Jin the wind master!"

The shinobi beamed, looking up and over her head, addressing someone she could not see.

"Will yeh listen teh tha'! A pretty lass knows mah name!"

"Konnichiwa Botan-chan," said a light, amused voice from behind her. Her eyes widened and she leapt up, hardly hoping to believe…

"Kurama!"

The fox demon was slightly surprised when she disentangled herself from Jin and flung herself into his arms, hugging him tightly.

"Oh thank Kami-sama," she buried her head in his shoulder, the tears she had been trying to hold back flowing freely down her face. Jin and Touya looked on, confused. Jin looked slightly put out.

"Hmph, even when yeh save 'em they still go fer the fox," he sulked, "how's tha' fair?"

Kurama gently soothed the distraught ferry girl, "Easy Botan, what's the matter?" The ferry girl didn't reply, her shoulders shaking as she sobbed. Kurama frowned and led her over to the stairs leading up the gates of the Reikai offices, sitting her down. The ferry girl sat there, sobbing her heart out on Kurama's shoulder, the fox demon holding her in a comforting embrace while Jin fidgeted uncomfortably and Touya waited politely. Finally Botan pulled herself together, sniffing heavily and swiping at the tears still pouring down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry," she gave a tremulous smile, "we see each other again and I'm bawling my eyes out." She gave a little laugh, staunching her tears with her white sleeve.

"What brings you to Reikai?"

"Personal business," Kurama looked at her with concern in his deep green eyes, "what about you? What's brought all this on?"

Botan smiled faintly, sadly. "Personal business."

Kurama smiled faintly in return. "I see… hmm, how long has been now? Ten years?"

"Mm," Botan stared at her hands, slightly embarrassed. "So… what are you doing back in Reikai? I thought you were looking for Hiei?"

She did not notice the faint shadow pass over Kurama's eyes, "We are."

She blinked and looked up at him again, "Then why – "

"Well, we decided that if we were going to have a reunion," Kurama smiled cheerfully, "then we might as well invite the whole gang."

She stared. "Um… Kurama… you don't mean… I mean… well…"

"We were planning on dropping in on Yusuke and Keiko, it's been such a long time…"

"Kurama, no offence but, don't you think he'll take one look at you guys and Reigun the lot of you?" Botan said worriedly, "I've just come from speaking to him and – oop!"

She clapped her hands over her mouth looking guilty. Kurama shot her a sideways glance, smirking. "Oh? Has our angelic and ever-so-obedient ferry girl been going against Koenma-sama's wishes?"

"N-no… well… maybe… I didn't… that's not the point!" she snapped, flustered, "Yusuke hasn't seen you in ages, and after all, it was you guys who put the word around the demon world that he was dead to stop his enemies looking for him. You did a good job by the way, half of Reikai thinks he's dead too, oh and the rest of Ningenkai."

Kurama scratched the back of his neck sheepishly, "Yes, I might have overdone it a tad, but it was so funny! I couldn't help myself."

"…Funny?" Kurama blinked innocently at Botan who had crashed to the ground with a little blinking question mark hovering over her head.

"Whatever is the matter Botan?"

"Oh nothing…" she sat up and looked at him seriously, "But really Kurama, I have been to see him and I tried to persuade him to come back to Reikai… I even told him that Hiei was missing…"

Kurama frowned at her, "What? He didn't know?"

Botan looked up at him, confused. "No, of course he didn't? How could he? He's been out of contact with Reikai for… Kurama?"

Kurama's eyes had closed and she felt his youki spiking angrily. What had she said?

"Koenma… really has messed this up very thoroughly hasn't he?" Kurama murmured softly, "Yusuke has no idea that Hiei went missing just before the attack on Kuwabara and Keiko."

"What!" Botan sat up, "But that can't be right! It was on the records! Hiei was in Reikai that day and he left just before the attack!"

"Hm," Kurama smiled grimly, "and where did those records say he went?"

Botan faltered slightly, "Well… back to Ningenkai…"

Kurama raised an eyebrow. "Well then, wouldn't he have turned up to help out when Kuwabara and Keiko were attacked? Even if he didn't make it in time, he would have showed up afterwards surely?"

Botan stared at him, "Then… the records were wrong? He went back to the Makai?"

Kurama chuckled quietly but there was no mirth in the sound, "Not quite."

Her eyes widened. "But… then…"

"Hiei never left Reikai that day," Kurama said quietly, "Shortly after I spoke to him in Ningenkai, he was summoned to Reikai by Koenma. That was the last time I saw him."

"B-but…" Botan stammered, "But Koenma-sama said he had gone back to the Makai through a portal on Ningenkai after hearing about the attack, and that he – "

"Had tracked down the demon responsible and killed it. Yes… Koenma-sama says a lot of things."

Botan stared. "Then… the reason he didn't get there in time… was because…"

"Let us just say Koenma doesn't have things under his control as well as he'd like us to believe," said Kurama darkly, looking out over the colourful landscape of Reikai.

"He… he lied to me?"

"He lied to all of us Botan," said Kurama gently. She closed her eyes and buried her head in her hands.

"I don't… I can't… I…"

Kurama watched quietly as she wrestled with her emotions, guilt, anger, misery, the pain of betrayal, all wrenching at her heart. She pressed her knuckles hard against her temples. Why? Why, why, why? Always it came back to the same question… the one she couldn't seem to find an answer for, no matter how hard she tried.

"Why?" her voice was choked, muffled by her hands, "Why us? Why does this happen to us? To you? To him? _Why?_"

She jumped slightly when she felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see warm, gentle green eyes smiling down at her. For the first time, she felt another emotion curling within her. She wasn't really sure how to describe it and indeed, she hadn't felt it in so long… it was a feeling of warmth, of assurance, the steady, firm knowledge that, wherever she was… she was safe. Kurama smiled briefly.

"Because," he said simply, "we are the ones with the strength to overcome it."

He stood up and stretched, leaving her sitting, motionless at the bottom of the stairs.

"We're leaving now. It was nice to catch up Botan. Hopefully we'll be seeing you again soon."

"Mm," she said, staring off into space. He chuckled quietly and gestured to Jin and Touya who walked over, Jin yawning and Touya looking impassive.

"I think," he murmured quietly, "it's about time to go find the real Yusuke Urameshi."

Jin blinked. "Eh? Ah though' he was dead?"

Even the sound of Jin's head impacting with the rather solid stone of Reikai could not jolt Botan from her thoughts. She barely noticed as Jin, Touya and her old friend Kurama vanished into the coloured sky of Reikai. She sat, perfectly still, lost in her own thoughts. She had a moment out of time, a time where her world stood still even as everything else rushed by. She made her choice. Slowly she stood, turned and began to climb the stairs.

* * *

**And on to the next chapter. Yay, I could finally say it!  
**


	9. Ditto

Yusuke Urameshi was thinking. Stop laughing.

He stared absently out of the window at the garden, the leaves of the sakura tree just tinted by early morning sunlight's pale rays, a light mist clinging to the dewy lawn. For some reason, ever since Botan had left he had found himself unable to sleep. Finally giving up at around two in the morning he had gently pried himself from Keiko's arms and wandered into the kitchen where he sat, sipping a cup of tea more because he had nothing else to do than because he was thirsty.

Hiei was missing, Kuwabara was dead and the last time he had seen Kurama their meeting had not ended on good terms, or rather Yusuke had yelled some rather insensitive things at him and had, now he thought about it, more or less blamed him for the whole incident with Keiko and Kuwabara. For not being there in time. His fist unconsciously tightened on the cup as he thought back to that day.

_He dashed through the pounding rain, under flickering streetlights that cast an eerie blood soaked glow over the darkened streets. He didn't know what the huge youki he had just felt was but it had come from his house and that was all that mattered to him right now._

_Keiko, Keiko, Keiko…_

_She would be alright, she had to be, someone would be there, Hiei and Kurama would be flitting around like they always were…_

_But then why couldn't he feel their youki anywhere near here? Wait, no, there it was, a flash of skillfully concealed youki, a twisting, slippery and deceptively mellow shape: Kurama! The fox was there so everything would be okay; Kurama would know what to do. He always did. Then why wasn't his youki acting as though he was fighting? Why couldn't he see the evidence of a fierce battle taking place across the shadowed rooftops?_

_Tearing around the last corner, he skidded to a halt, water splashing around his feet, his eyes suddenly unaware of the lashing rain, the battering, howling wind. His house was gone. The space where it had stood was nothing more than a wide patch of blackened earth, scorched dry. The freezing water of the rain barely touched the smouldering surface before evaporating in a hiss of white steam that hovered around the ruin like a white shroud, masking whatever lay beyond._

_Into the eerie fog Yusuke plunged, uncaring of the vicious heat that melted his shoes and scorched his feet. He had to know what lay beyond that mist, no doubt that was where Keiko would be waiting, and Kurama, with a dead demon lying at their feet. That was what was supposed to happen._

"_Yusuke!"_

_There! Keiko's voice! But why was it so distressed, so hysterical, so full of pain? Whoever had done anything to hurt Keiko would die, that he would make sure of._

"_Keiko! I'm here! Where are you?"_

_His voice was urgent and for some strange reason, quite hoarse. Was it the smoke? What was this horrible feeling of foreboding he felt?_

"_Yusuke? Yusuke! Over here!"_

_Kurama's voice, to the left. But, it sounded so different… anxious, restricted… fearful even. What was going on? Why was everyone so afraid? It was just a stupid demon wasn't it? Why was everyone so worked up? A voice was in his head, whispering things to him, horrible things: how big that youki was, why hadn't Kuwabara come running yet? Why couldn't he feel Hiei's youki anywhere when he had spoken to him only this morning and he had managed to coax the disgruntled fire youkai to stay for dinner? He wouldn't listen, he blocked it out. Because it was wrong._

_There! A gap in the mist… there was a faint flash of orange hair. Kuwabara? So the idiot was already here. But why couldn't he feel his energy? He hadn't known Kuwabara could mask his energy this well. The voice was whispering louder. He blocked it out. The mist had rolled across again. And then a horrible scream rent the night. It was a cry of pure and utter misery and pain. His head whipped around and he stood there, desperately, unheeding of the pain in his bare, blistered feet._

"_Keiko! Keiko! Kuwabara! Where the hell are you!"  
_

_He finally stumbled clear of the scorching hot earth and felt his sore feet touch cool grass. Cool, wet grass. For some reason, his instincts told him that the liquid he was standing in was not water. Dreading what he would see, he looked down. His sharp demon night vision immediately picked up the thick red colour against the green of the grass, even in this meager light. The liquid was spattered thickly across the grass, as though each of the small blades had sliced deeply into flesh. There was something else the voice was whispering and Yusuke heard it clearly. This blood was not demon blood._

"_What the hell happened here?" he whispered, trying to understand. Had humans attacked Keiko? But then why had there been youki? Had that been Kurama finishing them off? And if that was so, then why hadn't he recognized the youki?_

_His sharp hearing picked up a sound, hidden in the mist before him. Someone was sobbing, unrestrainedly, their breath catching in their throat, whimpering as though in horrible pain. He knew that voice, the tone, the pitch, but he had never before heard it in such agony._

"_KEIKO!"_

_He pitched headfirst through the warm fog, desperate to find his wife, his childhood friend, the one who had saved his life all that time ago when he had first become a spirit detective, the one who had stood by his side through thick and thin…_

_He stopped upon a very strange sight. For some reason, Kuwabara was lying face up in the middle of his lawn. It seemed like a rather stupid thing to be doing, but then Kuwabara was an idiot so… he approached his resting friend, intent on waking him up and sending him home with a good few bruises. It had probably been Kuwabara who blew up his house and now the idiot was asleep, exhausted. And why did he have red paint on his forehead? The voice was screaming in his ears._

"_Yusuke," a shaky voice, a dry, brittle voice that he did not recognize reached his ears. He whirled around to see who else had been messing around with his house only to receive a shock as he came face to face with a familiar red head. He was about to open his mouth to demand just what the hell was going on… but stopped. Kurama's face was pale, far paler than it had ever been before, and there was horror lurking behind his clouded green eyes. Something about that fear that he saw in the fox demon's frozen countenance made the voice louder which was annoying because the voice was screaming things that obviously couldn't be true._

"_Kuwabara… he…"_

_Kurama did not finish. Silently, the Toushin turned and knelt beside his friend and took him by the shoulders, giving him a firm shake. What was this hot, burning sensation in his eyes? What was this horrible clenching feeling in his chest? He knew he recognized it, perhaps he was ill?_

"_What's wrong with you?" he snapped, shaking Kuwabara harder, his friend should have woken up and punched him by now. So why? "Dumbass wake up!"_

_He felt a hand on his shoulder, tugging insistently at that increasingly loud voice that Yusuke refused to hear._

"_Yusuke he's – "_

"_You shut up!" he pushed the hand roughly off his shoulder, shaking his friend desperately, what for he didn't know. All he knew was that this was wrong. His friend should not be sleeping now. It was be his demon senses alerting him to some danger, perhaps the demon that had destroyed his house was still around. That was why he was so desperate to wake him. Okay, this had gone beyond a joke, now his friend was just being stupid._

"_Kuwabara!"_

"_Yu…suke…"_

_His heart froze in his chest. Whipping around, he sought out the source of that pained whisper. He could see Kurama's lithe form knelt beside some sort of inanimate object lying on the ground. When had the fox left his side? Why did it matter? He knew there was something over there he needed to see. Standing slowly, in a daze, he walked over the soaking grass, unaware of the burning pain in his feet or the rain that stung his skin like a thousand bees, drenching his clothes._

_What he saw tore the floodgates of his mind open, the voice slamming its way into his consciousness. He knew why Kuwabara had not woken up, he knew that the huge youki he had felt before had been S-Class and not one he had recognised, he knew that the flame smouldering over the timbers of his house had been a deep, sickly purple and he knew that what he was seeing now, was not something he wanted to see._

"_Keiko… oh my God."_

_He stumbled and fell to his knees by her side, staring in horror. Blood streaked her pale, bruised throat, weaving intricate patterns and staining the skin pink as it mingled with the beating rain, running down her cheeks, a macabre imitation of tears that would no longer fall. He didn't understand. How could this be…? This couldn't be… Keiko couldn't…_

"_WHO THE HELL DID THIS!"_

CRACK.

"Itai!"

He gritted his teeth as an unexpected stab of pain shot through his hand, jolting him forcibly out of his reverie. The small clay cup lay in broken pieces in his palm, scalding hot tea dripping slowly down his wrist, mingling with dark blood from where a sharp edge had jabbed into his skin. He sighed and dragged his uninjured hand across his face.

"Well, I suppose that's the living proof that the past hurts."

Yusuke froze. A pale, slender hand took hold of his and deftly pulled the thin sliver of pottery from the cut.

"You'd better run that under some cold water."

Had he fallen asleep? Was he dreaming? He had to be because there was no way this was happening. First Botan and now…

"Kurama."

He was surprised at how calm his voice sounded, almost as though someone else was speaking. As he said the name, a jolt ran up his spine, scattering the muffling blanket that had been cast over his senses. It was as though a bucket of cold water had been dumped on his head, he suddenly felt wide awake, the air cold against his skin, the pain in his hand suddenly doubling and mist distinctly he caught the soft scent of roses.

"Good morning Yusuke."

He stood up very slowly and felt the figure behind him move back a few steps, creating a modest distance between the two of them.

"If I asked you what the hell you were doing in my house, would you tell me?"

Kurama's voice was perfectly neutral as he replied.

"I don't know. You've never had to ask me that before."

"I'm asking you now."

A small sigh came from behind him and when Kurama spoke again his voice was laced with cold steel.

"I'm here to pull you from this stagnant pool of self pity you have immersed yourself in for so long."

The fox demon easily caught Yusuke's fist as the Toushin whipped around, eyes burning.

"Self pity? Is that all you think this is?" Yusuke snarled.

"You have responsibilities Yusuke," Kurama's eyes were flecked with gold, "You have shirked them long enough."

Yusuke tugged his hand out of Kurama's slackened grip, eyes narrowed.

"Keiko is my responsibility. You want to keep playing Reikai's pawn, go ahead."

To say Yusuke was surprised when vines sprouted up from the floor and wrapped around his ankles and torso would not be entirely justified. It did, however, enlighten him to just who he was dealing with.

"Given up on Shuuichi then?"

The red haired demon's smile developed a sinister edge.

"Hardly. Shuuichi merely ran out of patience and requested that I deal with this."

Yusuke's eyes narrowed.

"Yeah well, that doesn't surprise me. He likes hiding from difficult situations doesn't he?"

Kurama laughed lightly, "And you still love to be a hypocrite."

Yusuke looked away.

"How did you get in?"

"Through the door."

"I meant how did you get past the wards?" Yusuke amended tersely.

Kurama gave him a complacent smile.

"I'm going to pretend you didn't ask me that question."

"Right," Yusuke muttered, "legendary thief and all that crap."

"Oh no, not that," Kurama's eyebrows rose, "have you already forgotten? Those wards were designed to keep out enemies. Not friends."

Yusuke's scoffed, "Don't assume that by not being my enemy it automatically makes you my friend."

Kurama sighed and tucked a stray strand of red hair back behind his ear, noting the way Yusuke tensed at the movement.

"Yusuke, I could use the very ground we're standing on as a weapon."

"Thought you already had," Yusuke nodded down to the vines which still restrained him. Kurama shook his head.

"I just wanted to make sure you heard me out. You can be ever so impatient sometimes you know."

Yusuke gave the fox demon a cool stare.

"Don't give me that crap, the Shuuichi I knew wouldn't tie down a fr – "

He cut his sentence off with a slight curse. Kurama chuckled and the vines fell away, shrinking back into the floor.

"You see? You did miss me."

Yusuke wrenched the sliding door open rather savagely, stalking out into the garden so as not to wake Keiko.

"Why are you here Kurama and don't mess me about."

"Well, after Botan visited I would have thought you would at least have an idea," said Kurama mildly. Yusuke scowled.

"Are you going to try to drag me back to Reikai as well?"

Kurama smiled, "Not unless I absolutely have to. But we are going back to Reikai."

"There is no "we"," snapped Yusuke angrily, turning on the fox demon. "Don't you get it? I'm not coming back! I'm staying here with Keiko, I refuse to let that stupid toddler destroy the rest of my life."

"No, you seem to be managing perfectly well by yourself."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh nothing."

Kurama wandered over to the sakura tree, running his hand over the rough bark. Under the fox's touch the tree seemed to twist gently, its branches creaking, almost as though it was purring. Kurama smiled wistfully up at the branches, his eyes distant.

"Hm, I thought that about my mother for a while. I thought that I would never leave her side again. I thought of hiding from Reikai after the whole business with the three artifacts of darkness. I could have you know. I could have defended our house with all of my most cunning traps, I could have hidden us away, lived a normal life. But then I thought… no. I couldn't do that because I still had something left to do."

"Spare me the preaching session," Yusuke snapped, "I don't have anything left to do 'cept live my life. The brat told me; Hiei tracked down the bastard who did this and killed him."

Kurama's eyes darkened.

"Yes… I'll imagine he did. You obviously thought that was better than setting you off onto a wild killing spree. His excuse was that the demon was far too powerful and would kill you."

Yusuke turned very slowly to where the fox stood in the shadow of the sakura tree, his green eyes dark and cold.

"What?"

"Oh, did I not tell you?" Kurama smiled placidly at him although, now Yusuke was paying attention he could see the fire burning in those eyes. He had seen that fire once before, back during the Sensui incident when Kurama had been forced to kill the Game Master. He also remembered what Kurama had done when they ran into the elder Toguro shortly afterwards. Kurama was angry. Very angry.

"Tell me what?"

Yusuke's fists were clenched tightly, his shoulders tense, eyes narrowed. His body knew what his old team mate was talking about, even if his brain hadn't quite got there yet. Kurama's smile had turned somewhat feral.

"Koenma lied. The culprit is alive."

Afterwards, Yusuke wouldn't really be able to describe just what he felt when he heard those words. It was anger certainly, but not just that. For some reason he felt his throat tightening slightly and sharp, excited feeling twisting in his stomach. It made him want to grin. Something… some heavy weight somewhere in his heart was shattered into a million pieces and he felt a roaring in his ears. It was as though… he was… _happy_.

Slowly… very slowly, his lips curled into a smile. A single soft sound made its shivering, delighted way from his throat.

"… Heh."

He looked up again at Kurama and saw his expression mirrored in the fox's eyes.

"I think, I'd like to hear what really happened. From a friend."

He met Kurama's gaze and held it.

"I'm listening."

Koenma sat at his desk, ignoring the mountain of paperwork around him. His head was buried in his hands and his mind was strangely blank. Everything was out of his control now and perhaps that was not such a bad thing. If his father got wind of this he'd be stripped of his position for sure. First Sensui, now he was going to help a know felon to –

"Koenma."

Koenma looked up to see Botan opening the door. Without asking for permission she closed the door and came to stand in front of his desk. Something about her expression made him frown.

"What is it Botan?"

She looked down at him, her gaze set firm.

"I want you to tell me what really happened. Right from the start."

Koenma stared at her. He felt like laughing. This was just ridiculous. Well, why the hell not, he had already told everyone else, what would one more hurt? Sighing heavily he leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes.

"Well, it started when Jorge brought in the forms for Kuwabara and Hiei's passing."

Botan blinked. She had thought he would spend at least five minutes pretending not to know what she was talking about. He was actually going to tell her? Hang on…

"_Hiei's _death form?" she stared at him, aghast, "He's dead?"

"Shut up," Koenma snapped, glaring at her, "If you're going to ask me to pour out the secrets of my worst doings then at least have the courtesy not to interrupt." Botan blinked. When was the last time she had heard him use that exasperated tone of voice?

"I immediately went to see my father of course, to find out what the hell was going on," Koenma continued, chewing on his pacifier, "and he expressly forbade me to interfere."

Botan conjured her oar and sat down, sensing that this would be a long talk.

"But you did. Kurama told me you – "

"Botan _please_," Koenma sounded slightly hysterical. She swallowed and fell silent.

"Now I looked into the circumstances myself and found out that a portal had been opened against regulations and without Reikai's permission. Well, naturally that could only be done by an exceptionally powerful demon. I began to monitor the highest signals of youki in the area and saw one heading towards Yusuke's home town at great speed."

Koenma sighed and looked down at his clasped hands, his eyes distant.

"I knew that I couldn't tell them to run. They never would. They would stay and fight."

Botan stared at him with wide eyes. "You called Hiei here…"

Koenma nodded curtly. "I had him summoned here and kept out of harm's way. Unfortunately…" Koenma sighed and rubbed his forehead tiredly, "It turned out that the demon was considerably more powerful than I had anticipated… I didn't have time to get Kuwabara out."

Botan looked carefully at him for a moment before staring at her own feet.

"You know… those forms aren't always accurate. They're based on probability after all. I mean, look what happened with Yusuke."

Koenma smiled faintly.

"Yes… I think I've realized that now… after all these years. They were the most improbable group in the world…"

Somehow, Botan found all the anger and betrayal she had felt towards him, ebb softly away. It was replaced by a sort of calm resignation. The recognition that things had been and passed and really… there was nothing they could do.

"You did what you thought was right," she murmured, looking up at the ceiling, "and learned from it."

"Yeah: that I had to get a new job. That one fell through."

She laughed in spite of herself.

"No, silly, I was just thinking… you need to trust them more." She smiled gently at him. There was a feeling inside her, one she had not had for a long time. The feeling that what she was saying, what she was doing, was the right thing. Without a doubt. "They are an amazing bunch Koenma. Give them time. They have their faults. We all do, it's not a bad thing. This is something we can't interfere in."

"My father will," Koenma said gloomily, "when he finds out."

Botan felt a real smile stretching her lips for the first time in a while, "He can try."

Koenma looked up at her to see her eyes were sparkling.

"After all, they're strong enough to bear this," she shrugged, "they can deal with your grumpy dad any day."

Koenma, to his horror, felt tears welling up in his eyes. Hurriedly brushing them away he pretended to busy himself with paperwork.

"Botan… um…"

"Hm? Yes?"

"I… I just wanted to say… sorry."

Botan cocked her head to one side and gave him an appraising look.

"Well… I can't blame you. You're only a baby after all."

"I'M STILL YOUR BOSS YOU IMPUDENT LITTLE - "

"You're the little one."

"OUT!"

Giggling, she fled the office. Now what had she done with that pink kimono...?

* * *

Yusuke sat quietly on the grass.

"So… Koenma knew."

Kurama nodded silently. Yusuke's eyes narrowed at the dewy grass in an inscrutable gaze.

"Why do we need to go back to Reikai? I have nothing to say to him."

Kurama stretched gracefully, basking in the first warm rays of the sun as it rose over the trees.

"To collect the last member of the team."

Yusuke looked up at him.

"Shorty's in Reikai? Are you nuts? I would have thought he'd have killed Koenma by now. And where did you find him anyway? Botan said he was missing."

Kurama's smile was thin lipped and held not a shred of mirth.

"Oh he was. That's where I found him."

He looked over at Yusuke with one eyebrow raised.

"Did you never wonder why he never turned up at the house?"

Yusuke stared disbelievingly at the fox.

"You are kidding."

Kurama shook his head.

"He's been imprisoned in Reikai. For ten years."

"Rubbish." Yusuke scoffed, "they couldn't keep him there, he'd break out easy."

Kurama chuckled coldly.

"Ah, but that's where the problem lies. It wouldn't have been so bad if that was all they had done."

Somehow Yusuke felt that he could believe anything now. Finding out that the one responsible for his best friend's death had had the sort of affect he imagined either a large amount of alcohol or some dubious white powder would have had. Kurama looked rather calm, cheerful almost. His expression could have been worn by someone remarking how lovely the weather was.

"He was charged with forcing his way into Reikai and was arrested and put into cold sleep. For eternity."

Yusuke's expression did not change.

"You are kidding right?"

Kurama shook his head although it wasn't really necessary.

"Apparently when he attempted to get back down when he figured out what was going on, that was when the SDF pounced." There was a strange look of satisfaction on Kurama's face as he added, "It took the whole squad to take him down and he permanently put at least half of them out of the service for good."

Yusuke found himself chuckling. "On their own turf as well."

Kurama smiled nostalgically for a while before turning businesslike once more.

"Koenma has agreed to get us to him as long as we deal with the demon. We had to give him a small deposit first for information but that's been taken care of."

Yusuke looked up at him curiously.

"We?"

Kurama smiled brightly, hopping to his feet. "Oh did I not say? Jin and Touya are here. They're going to watch Keiko-chan for you while you're away. They like it here anyway."

Yusuke stared up at him. For the first time in a long while, he realized just how lucky he was to have died all that time ago.

"Hey, fox boy."

Kurama half turned on his way back to the house to look at Yusuke, the wind ruffling his red hair, warm sunlight glinting in his eyes. Yusuke got to his feet, staring awkwardly at his foot.

"I guess… thanks. And sorry for… you know… blaming you. I wasn't really thinking."

Kurama's face softened and some of the anger seemed to leave his eyes.

"Don't worry about it. After all," his eyes glittered mischievously as he bared his white teeth in a smirk, "thinking has never been one of your strong points."

"That was uncalled for."

"Not when it's you."

"Gee, I'm flattered," Yusuke said wryly, following his friend back into the house, vaguely registering the fact that his hand had stopped hurting. Slipping off his shoes, he turned to slide the door closed. Then he paused. Dropping his hand, he walked inside, feeling the cool breeze at his back. No harm in leaving a door open after all.

* * *

**  
Argh, I have a horrible feeling I made it mushy and pathetic. Don't worry, the next few chapters will be Yusuke and Kurama sneaking in Reikai so there will be fighting! Action at long bloody last. Hope you enjoyed this and please review!**


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